


What Darkness Conceals

by Rycolfan (Snarryeyes)



Category: Whose Line Is It Anyway? RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Horror, M/M, No wives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-01-18 22:03:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 76,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1444465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snarryeyes/pseuds/Rycolfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story of courage, love, and the ancient battle of good versus evil...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this Buffy-esque story quite a while back, posting the first half solely on LJ. Now I've finished, I've decided to share it here too. ~~So I'll be posting one chapter every other day or so - make that Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (when I can).~~ The remaining chapters will be posted on Mondays and Thursdays. I hope you enjoy it. :)
> 
> Not real. No offense is intended to those portrayed herein.

A lone figure, clad only in black, stood on a hill and looked down on the town below him as day slowly gave way to night, the setting sun lost behind a blanket of cloud. His piercing blue eyes wandered over the familiar landscape while a light drizzle dampened his clothing. He’d been to many different lands, but had found himself constantly drawn back to this place by an invisible force. The cool, wet, climate, the wilderness which encroached upon the town on all sides, even the smell. His nostrils flared as he breathed in deeply. They awakened memories long forgotten. Now he was finally here again, he felt a thrill of anticipation. A small smile revealed two razor sharp tips. He was home. 

 

Down below, a figure moved noiselessly along one of the many darkening streets, his long coat flowing out behind him and his hooded head bowed. He kept to the shadows, avoiding illumination by the streetlights which were now flickering to life above him. It wasn’t late, but there was no-one else in sight. There never was at this end of town. Not anymore.

The figure turned his head sharply, and paused mid-step, as a loud screech echoed down an alley to his left. His dark eyes moved slowly over the assortment of trash cans and garbage and his hand twitched slightly, ready to move lightning fast if the need arose.

A few moments later, a cat ran out from behind a tattered box and, with a yowl, crossed his path and disappeared from sight. The figure relaxed his posture and resumed walking, quickening his pace a little after glancing at his watch.

A little further up the road, he abruptly turned left and walked through the gates of what appeared to be an old, abandoned, public library. The building looked forlorn and dilapidated, with many of its windows smashed and its roof in a state of extreme disrepair. There was nothing to suggest that anyone had been there in years, yet he kept on walking towards it purposefully.

Broken boards on one of the side-doors provided an entrance, and he slipped inside noiselessly. Immediately plunged into darkness, his eyes struggled to adjust as he moved forwards, finally reaching an old fashioned elevator. The sound of the gates being pulled back echoed eerily around the deserted building as he stepped inside and pressed the scuffed button marked ‘basement.’

A small pause and then the elevator sprang to life, carrying him down through several equally deserted levels until he arrived at the bottom with a small ping. He stepped out and turned left again, keeping one hand on the wall while he pulled out a small flashlight with the other. 

The darkness was concealing row upon row of dusty books in the bowels of the building, lit up briefly by the light as it passed, and directly ahead of him was nothing but a dead end. He stopped in front of the large bookcase which stood against the far wall, then reached up to pull a single book out. There wasn’t anything to distinguish this old, battered, book from the many others except a faint set of gold initials. 

 

_A. V. H._

 

Instead of coming free, however, the book stopped halfway and there was a clank followed by a mechanical sound emanating from behind it. A small section of the adjacent wall to his left opened up, revealing a keypad and an illuminated panel above it; the first sign of modernization within the building. The figure entered a code, and pressed his palm firmly on the panel. After a few moments the wall shifted inwards slightly, then moved smoothly aside, and he stepped through quickly so that it could close behind him.

Now the dust and clutter was gone, replaced by a smooth marble floor and clean, straight, walls leading to another door straight ahead. A camera followed his movements as he walked forwards, and a deep voice echoed from a speaker mounted on the wall.

“Identify yourself.”

The figure removed his hood with a flourish and looked pointedly up at the camera, his brown eyes showing a mixture of exasperation and amusement. “Must we do this every time, Bob?”

He heard a small chuckle in response. “Sorry, sir. I have my orders.”

“Don’t we all,” the man sighed. “Very well. Alpha One reporting for duty.”

The door immediately swung inwards and he moved into a large, brightly lit, circular room which, in stark contrast to those he’d just passed through, was bustling with activity. At least twenty people had desks in the centre and were either working on their computers, or on the phone; surrounded by paperwork. There were doors around the entire perimeter of the room, some labelled with things such as ‘research and development’ or ‘weaponry’ while others remained blank. 

A few people curiously followed his progress as he walked briskly towards one of the doors at the far end. On this door, in bold letters, were two words:

 

_Alpha Team_

 

He could hear muffled conversation coming from the other side as he turned the handle and pushed the door open. The four occupants stopped talking and looked up as he entered, all of them dressed in similar styles of combat clothing.

“Hey, Col. You’re late.”


	2. Chapter 2

Slayers had been around for centuries, a few chosen individuals who swore to protect mankind and battle evil in any form it took. Wherever dark forces gathered in abundance, a slayer would rise and, contrary to some myths and legends, there could be more than just one. In fact, there were a number of slayers currently scattered across the world; three in North America alone.

Most of the human population remained blissfully ignorant of the war going on under their noses, too wrapped up in their own lives to care or even notice, but there were some who rallied to the cause, who had had the misfortune to stare evil in the face and yet managed to survive.

The town of Cedarcrest was located near the Canadian border in the Pacific North-West and, although it appeared fairly ordinary on the surface, it harboured a darker, more sinister, side; the whole area had long since been a hub for vampires, and the town had become their stronghold.

Colin had grown up there, unaware of his future destiny and the responsibility which would weigh heavily on his shoulders until his powers had been revealed. He was a slayer. He had protected the town for many years, suppressing the evil which lurked there, and kept the balance of power firmly on the side of good. It was by no means easy, and there had been several close calls in his time, but he was never alone in this fight.

The League of Angels was a resistance group formed years ago by a fellow slayer, and had now become a covert government organization. It had a worldwide network of undercover bases, and recruited suitable individuals to carry out its mission – to work alongside slayers, destroying evil and protecting the innocent. The base in Cedarcrest was the largest in the northern states, covering a wide area that encompassed many different towns. Alpha team covered Cedarcrest itself, while the other teams patrolled further afield, but Colin was occasionally called in to deal with a difficult situation elsewhere.

 

“Hey Col. You’re late.”

His team were all smiling in greeting. Greg, who had spoken, was easily the smartest and most confident of the group, his dark eyes shining behind thick spectacles. Sitting beside him was Jeff, the youngest member and probably the best looking, his black hair sticking up in all directions but still managing to look alluring. Brad, who was lounging back lazily in his chair with his feet up on the table, was the practical joker and also the most impulsive member. Then there was Chip, who had immediately straightened up when the door had opened, a bit like a nervous lieutenant. He followed all the rules to the letter.

Colin flashed them a smile in return as he walked inside, the door swinging shut behind him. “Just had to deal with a little problem on the way.” He carried on walking, towards the lockers on the other side of the room, and the others turned to follow his progress, now all wearing identical frowns.

“Already? But the sun isn’t even down yet.”

Colin pulled out a pair of heavy duty black combat boots to change into, and shook his head with a smile. “Not that kind of problem, Jeff. This one was decidedly warm blooded and slightly lacking in the intelligence department. The idiot tried to mug me.”

Greg snorted loudly, his frown now replaced by a deeply amused expression. “What did you do to him?”

Colin shrugged, fastening each boot up to his calves. He slipped a silver knife down the side of one of them, and straightened up before replying. “Let’s just say that he won’t be trying that on anyone else for a long time.”

There was a scattering of snickers and guffaws from the others at this, and the corners of Colin’s mouth twitched upwards. He reached into his coat and pulled out what looked like balls of fluff, but the balls slowly uncurled in his palm to reveal pointed noses, whiskers, and dark beady eyes. The two rats sniffed the air, becoming more alert by the second. Both were a mixture of black and white, but had individually distinct markings which made telling them apart simple.

“Do you _have_ to bring them to work?” Brad asked, looking repulsed.

“Yes,” Colin replied simply. “They enjoy the change of scenery. Don’t you, boys?” Lifting his hand to his face, he allowed the rats to sniff his nose as he whispered to them.

“Well, I love them,” Jeff grinned, getting up to stroke the one nearest to him. “How’re you doing Nos?”

The rat turned and sniffed his hand, before running onto Colin’s shoulder. Brad watched from his chair with a kind of morbid fascination, and Chip let out a bark of laughter at his expression. Greg shook his head with a smirk.

“He’s cuddlier than you are, man.”

Brad raised an eyebrow. “Are you talking about Col or the rat?”

“Watch it,” Colin called good-naturedly.

Their laughter was cut short when the door opened and a large man in glasses poked his head in, smiling genially.

“How’s my number one team?” he asked cheerfully.

“Over-worked and under-paid,” Greg replied without hesitation, which earned several sniggers. “How about you, Drew?”

Drew ignored the question, and looked over at Colin. “I wanted to catch you before you went out.”

“What can I do for you?” Colin asked, absent-mindedly stroking the rat now nestled in the crook of his arm while the other sat happily on his shoulder.

“It’s more what _I_ can do for _you_ , actually,” Drew replied. “I want to introduce you to your new team member; Ryan.” He opened the door wider to reveal a much taller, and considerably thinner, man who was also dressed in combat-style clothes. There was an intense look on his face, but his emerald eyes were openly curious as they took in the room and its occupants.

Greg, Chip, Brad, and Jeff wore expressions varying from cool to decidedly hostile, while Colin simply looked surprised.

“We don’t need anyone else, thanks,” Brad said, glaring at the newcomer.

“Brad,” Colin warned. He himself was studying Ryan with genuine interest. There was a confident air about him, and he certainly looked like he could take care of himself, but there was also something else there. Colin couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he was going to try his best to find out. Deciding to set the example, he walked forward and offered his hand with a smile. “Hi, I’m…”

“I know who you are,” Ryan interrupted, a smile softening his face as he shook hands. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Colin nodded, returning the smile and the firm handshake. “Welcome to the team.” He turned to introduce the others, all of whom nodded politely, if somewhat stiffly, as he pointed them out, except for Brad who was still scowling.

Drew seemed unfazed by the passive aggressive undercurrent. “You’ve been a man down for over a month now, so Ryan, here, has transferred from the Gamma team where he’s had excellent results. I’m sure you’ll do great together.”

Brad glanced towards the locker at the end, still bearing their lost comrade’s name, and clenched his jaw. “We don’t even get a say in this?”

Drew turned to look at him calmly. “We were all affected by what happened to Wayne, but it’s time to move on and I need my best team at the top of their game. End of discussion.” With that he turned and strode out of the room, leaving a tense silence in his wake.

“Okay team, let’s get going,” Colin said briskly. He walked to a large cage by the wall and placed the rats inside carefully. “Be good, you two,” he murmured as they ran off to explore.

Everyone got to their feet and headed for the door, but Colin called, “Brad, you stay here a moment.” Brad stopped in his tracks, as Colin added, “We’ll meet the rest of you in the armory.”

“Look, I know what you’re going to say,” Brad sighed, as soon as the door had closed behind the others.

“Good,” Colin replied, moving to face him and crossing his arms, “but I’m still going to say it anyway. We all knew this would happen sooner or later and, whether you like it or not, we _do_ need another man in the team.”

Brad stared at a spot on the floor. “I know.”

Colin sighed, uncrossing his arms, and squeezed Brad’s shoulder gently. “It doesn’t mean that we’re ever going to forget Wayne. We just have to give this new guy a chance, okay?”

Brad met Colin’s gaze, looking resigned to the inevitable, and nodded. “Okay.”

“Good.”

A hint of mischief crept into Brad’s eyes. “We don’t have to hug now, do we?”

Colin snorted and clipped him round the head. “Get going, wise-ass.”


	3. Chapter 3

By the time the six of them reached street level, fully armed, night had taken hold completely and there was no moonlight to penetrate the darkness.

“Okay,” Colin said, keeping his voice low, “normal patrol routes; Greg and Brad head South, Chip and Jeff head East, while I head North with Ryan. Keep radio silence unless it’s a matter of urgency, and we’ll rendezvous in the old cemetery at midnight. Clear?”

Five heads nodded in his direction and the group split apart noiselessly, Ryan falling into step beside Colin. As they walked away, constantly on the alert for anything suspicious, Colin decided to break the ice a little more.

“So, how long were you with the Gammas?” he asked quietly.

“Three years.”

Colin nodded. “Is Mike still in charge?”

“Yeah,” Ryan replied, his tone amused. “I don’t think they’ll ever get him to retire. He speaks very highly of you.”

“He’s a good friend,” Colin smiled. “Used to be an Alpha before he got his own team. It’s always beneficial to get fresh blood in, though…if you’ll excuse the expression.”

Ryan glanced sideways at him and snorted softly. “You know, you’re not what I was expecting.”

“Really?” The twinkle of amusement in Colin’s eyes was lost in the darkness. “In a good or a bad way?”

“Oh, definitely good,” Ryan said reassuringly. “It’s just that slayers have a reputation for being overly serious, stern, and generally kick-ass when it comes to the job.”

Colin shrugged, a wry smile curling his lips. “Depends on the slayer, but don’t be fooled. I can kick your ass anytime I want.”

There was a sudden flash of movement in front of them and Ryan had barely drawn a stake from his belt before a lightning fast hand closed around his wrist firmly. It was only then that he realized it had been nothing more than a stray cat which had crossed their path. The cat in question was now playing with a half dead mouse in its paws across the street. Colin released his grip on Ryan’s wrist, and Ryan turned his head to look at him with renewed interest.

“I don’t doubt it.”

 

As Colin and Ryan headed deeper into the most notorious part of town, known for shady dealings and mysterious disappearances, their conversation dropped to a bare minimum. Colin listened for the slightest sound as they moved forward silently, his eyes scanning every building and alleyway. A cold wind had sprung up from the North-East, scattering the dead leaves and garbage across their path noisily, which only made his job more difficult.

A shriek of laughter from up ahead made both of them freeze and press their bodies against the damp wall next to them, the overhanging branches of an old willow effectively hiding them from view. A moment later, two figures appeared from an side alley: a woman, still laughing, and staggering slightly in high heels, and a hooded man. He was supporting her as they walked towards one of the large, abandoned, buildings that lined the far side of the street, backing onto the river.

Colin narrowed his eyes. He’d seen the flash of luminescence as the hooded man had glanced in their direction, and so had Ryan judging by the stake he’d silently removed from his belt. It was a well known feature of all vampires. Their eyes had adapted over centuries to see well in low light conditions and, just like cat’s eyes, they reflected light, seeming almost to glow in the darkness. They were also always ice blue in color, as cold as the blood in their veins.

Colin crept after the pair, Ryan just behind him, keeping sight of them until they disappeared within the confines of the building. Hiding behind another crumbling wall, they saw three other figures follow the pair inside. Colin glanced at Ryan before pulling the radio from his belt.

“Alpha one to teams two and three,” he said into it softly. “Come in.” He waited until he received confirmation of their attention before continuing. “We’ve got a situation at the old mill on Fifth Avenue. I need the four of you over here. Now.”

Within a few minutes Jeff and Chip appeared, keeping low as they crept towards Colin’s position. They hadn’t been too far away when they got the call, but Greg and Brad had more distance to cover from the south so they would take longer to arrive.

“What is it?” Jeff whispered as he reached Colin’s side, barely sparing Ryan a glance.

“At least four vampires and a young woman inside. She’s had a little too much to drink, so I doubt she realizes the danger she’s in.”

At that moment a yelp came from within the building and Colin looked towards the entrance, deciding what to do.

“You think it’s too late?” Chip whispered.

Colin glanced over at him and shook his head. “They like to play a while first.” Chip grimaced as Colin continued, “Okay, I’ll go around the back and check out what we’re up against. You three stay here until Brad and Greg arrive. This is going to take all of us.”

Colin crept out of their hiding place, keeping close to the wall until he could slip through the old, rusted, gates which were hanging off their hinges. Soon he had disappeared, lost among the shadows, and the others settled down to wait. Only a few minutes later Ryan, who was still watching the entrance like a hawk, saw a figure emerge. Squinting into the darkness, he realized that it was the same man they had followed in with the girl. The vampire was now heading away from the building and would soon be lost from sight so Ryan, acting on pure instinct, jumped up to go after him.

“Ryan, no!” Jeff whispered harshly, but Ryan had already moved out of earshot.

Clutching a stake firmly in each hand, Ryan followed the vampire across the broken ground towards a jumble of smaller, dilapidated buildings in the shadow of the old mill. When the dark figure slipped between the buildings and out of sight, Ryan increased his pace so as not to lose him. As it was, he needn’t have worried. The moment he turned the corner, a strong, cold, hand clamped around his throat and pinned him against the moss-covered wall.


	4. Chapter 4

Colin had managed to find a way into the building at the back and was crouching out of sight behind some old machinery, devising a plan. There were more vampires than he’d thought, youngsters by the looks of it. They were currently squabbling over who was going to finish the young woman off while she lay barely conscious on the ground with several cuts on her arms, from which a crimson trail flowed to the dirty floor. Any one of them wouldn’t be a problem for him to overcome alone, but the numbers could cause difficulties. He was just edging back towards the exit when Jeff’s urgent whisper came over the radio.

“Alpha one, come in. We have a situation out here.”

Colin quickly pulled the radio from his belt. “What is it, Jeff?”

“New guy’s taken off after a V who left the building. Should we follow?”

Cursing under his breath, Colin replied in a low voice, “Have Greg and Brad arrived?”

“Affirmative.”

Colin took a moment, expelling a deep breath. “Okay, go after him. But be careful. I’ll try to contain the situation here.”

“You got it, boss.”

Replacing the radio and extracting several stakes, Colin crept back to his previous position but, when he slowly stood up, he met a pair of cold, blue eyes just in front of him and heard the sound of movement from behind. Obviously his conversation hadn’t been quiet enough. There goes the plan, he thought, suppressing a sigh.

 

Ryan had been able to dispatch the vampire who had pinned him against the wall without too much trouble. His problems started when six others came slinking out of the shadows, like a pack of hungry hyenas, no doubt attracted by the commotion.

“Well, well, well,” one of them said as he approached, smiling nastily. “Looks like your luck just ran out… but, don’t worry, you’ll make a tasty meal for one of us.”

Ryan tightened his grip on the stakes clutched in each hand. “Over my dead body.”

There was a smattering of jeering laughter and the lead vampire shrugged. “That won’t be a problem.”

In the blink of an eye he was on top of Ryan, fangs bared, and Ryan had to struggle to throw him off. This vampire was older, and much stronger, than the last. Ryan barely had a moment to think before the vampire was back, ramming his arm back against the wall which knocked one of the stakes from his grasp. He fought to bring the other stake into play, but couldn’t break the hold on his wrist. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other vampires standing a little way off, seemingly content to watch the fight unfold without feeling the need to intervene. Their apathetic attitude changed with a swift knee to the vampire’s groin, throwing him off balance, which was enough for Ryan to finish him off in a cloud of dust.

His reprieve was short lived as the rest of them all charged him at once, and his vision blurred as his head was smashed against the wall behind him. He recovered quickly, struggling with all his might to hold them off, but there were just too many. One of them leaned in, hungrily eyeing the throbbing pulse in Ryan’s neck, but the next moment he froze, a look of surprise on his face, before abruptly disintegrating.

Ryan’s confusion quickly changed to relief as four familiar figures appeared, Chip with a raised cross-bow, and the vampires turned on them, hissing their displeasure. Taking advantage of this distraction, Ryan pulled his arm free and dispatched another of them cleanly. The other three immediately tightened their hold on him, squeezing his neck painfully.

“Let him go,” Jeff said firmly, walking around to flank them.

The vampire on Ryan’s left ran a cold finger down his face and neck, a feral grin forming. “Or what?”

“Or we kick your butt back to Hades,” Greg replied matter-of-factly. He rolled his eyes when the vampires merely looked back at him blankly. “Greek God of the Underworld?” he prompted. “Geez, you’d think immortality would leave more time for study.”

“Can we get back to the butt kicking part, please?” Brad said impatiently, cocking his gun.

“Maybe you should be more concerned with your own safety,” the vampire called, still grinning, as five more vampires appeared behind Greg.

“Great, now we’re a walking buffet,” Chip muttered, moving to train his bow on the newcomers.

“Last chance,” Greg said casually, as if he was merely offering the last slice of pizza. When the vampires merely laughed and jeered, Greg turned to look at Brad and smirked. “Dive in, man.”

What followed was pure mayhem. Brad vaporized the vampire on Ryan’s left, while Greg ran forwards to take on the other two, enabling Ryan to break free to help. Chip and Jeff dealt with the other five, joined shortly by Brad but, as they fought, dodging the strong hands and razor sharp teeth, three more vampires arrived. They were now outnumbered two to one and losing ground fast, corralled by the vampires towards the building behind them.

“You’re not slayers,” a muscular vampire hissed mockingly. In a flash he moved forwards, heading straight for Jeff, but found his way barred by another figure that had just joined the fray. The vampire barely had time to look up in surprise before he turned to dust.

“No, that’d be me,” Colin said briskly, dusting off his hands and standing his ground between his worn out team and the eight remaining vampires. “Still want to play?”

The vampires looked uncertainly at one another, their bravado gone, then one by one slunk back into the shadows.

“Didn’t think so,” Colin sighed, watching them go. He then turned to face the others. “Everyone okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good, Col,” Greg said, bending to pick up the scattered stakes. “What happened with the girl?”

“She’s unconscious, but alive. Can you go and check on her, Chip?”

Chip nodded, leaving swiftly, and Colin turned his gaze on Ryan, who visibly swallowed at the anger he saw shining clearly within the dark eyes. “Can the rest of you give us a minute alone, please?” Colin said, without looking away from Ryan’s face.

There was a murmur of agreement and a shuffle of feet as the others moved away, Brad with a highly smug expression.

“Look,” Ryan began, attempting to explain himself, “I thought-”

“No!” Colin cut in furiously, “You didn’t think at all. You acted recklessly and put the whole team in danger. You’re lucky that these were youngsters or God knows what would have happened.” He paused, eyes blazing. “I don’t know how they did things in Gamma team, but here you follow my commands or you’re out. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Ryan replied stiffly. “It won’t happen again.”

“Damn right it won’t,” Colin said, holding his gaze before abruptly turning away. “Now, let’s get back to work.”

Ryan watched him head over to Jeff and Brad, torn between feelings of guilt, humiliation, and defiance. He felt someone clap him on the back, and looked across at Greg who was now standing beside him.

“I’ve gotta hand it to you, man,” Greg said, offering Ryan a cigarette which he took with a grateful smile. “You sure know how to create an impression on your first day.”

Ryan didn’t answer, cupping his hands to light his cigarette whilst watching the group a few feet away. Colin’s opinion of him mattered far more than he’d like to admit. He was going to have to up his game considerably.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the week proved less eventful for the team, much to everyone’s relief. Colin partnered Ryan with a different member every shift so that he could get to know everyone properly and settle in a little more, and everyone had pretty much accepted him within a few days. Well, mostly everyone. Brad continued to be a model of forced civility, apparently taking even more of an exception to Ryan after the incident at the mill even though Colin had moved on without further reproach.

The following Thursday, Brad and Ryan, who were partnered once again, were the last to return to base, both stiff lipped and rigid. As soon as they were through the door they parted ways without a word, Ryan heading for his locker while Brad moved towards the rest of the team who were sitting around the large table.

Colin looked up at him, his eyes shining with mirth from watching Greg and Jeff fool around. “Anything to report?”

Brad flopped into a chair sulkily. “Not unless you count the two teenagers we caught making out in the park.” He snatched Jeff’s coffee and took a mouthful. “Man, I thought this shift would never end.”

“Well,” Jeff began, plucking his coffee back out of Brad’s grasp, “we were going to head back to mine for a few beers if you want to come and unwind a bit.”

“Might as well,” Brad replied, covering a yawn with his hand.

Greg snorted. “Please try to contain your enthusiasm, dude.”

“You coming, Col?” Jeff asked, getting up as Brad replied to Greg with a rude hand gesture.

Colin’s eyes flicked over to Ryan, alone by his locker, then back to Jeff’s questioning face. “No, you go ahead. I’ll see you later.”

“Your loss, man,” Greg smirked as he got up, cuffing Brad on the back of the head. “Come on, Grumpy, time to go play with the other dwarfs.”

“Don’t forget Sleepy,” Brad grinned, gesturing to Chip who was resting his head on the table and snoring quietly. He slammed his hands hard on the table as he got up and Chip awoke with a start, looking around with wild eyes before he realized where he was.

“Asshole,” he muttered, getting to his feet and glaring at Brad who was snickering.

“Come on, kids,” Greg called. “Last one out has to buy all the beer.”

Nothing was guaranteed to move them faster and within moments the door swung shut behind them, cutting off the voices of Chip and Brad who were still bickering. Colin let out a sigh, relieved to have some peace and quiet, and picked up his report. He glanced briefly over at Ryan, who had changed into casual clothes and was pulling a jacket on.

Colin had feared they he’d have more problems with his latest recruit but, since that first night, Ryan had obeyed every instruction without question, which was a relief. There was no room for mistakes in this particular job, and he had no wish to lose another member of his team. He was pleased with how Ryan was settling in but he was still very much the outsider at the moment, which was why Colin had declined Jeff’s invitation and stayed behind tonight. He was almost certain that Ryan would have declined if he’d been asked, but the point was that he _hadn’t_ been.

As Colin picked up his pen and continued to write, he saw Ryan approaching out of the corner of his eye.

“No matter what the job, there’s always paperwork to do,” Ryan said, smiling sympathetically. “You need another shot of caffeine?”

“No, I’m good, thanks,” Colin replied, looking up to flash him a smile before returning to his work.

“It looks like someone’s trying to make a break for it.”

Colin looked up again, this time wearing a confused expression until Ryan gestured to his coat with a grin.

“Ah, yes,” Colin said, looking down at the rat who was poking his nose out of the pocket curiously. “He just smells someone new, that’s all.”

Ryan held out an open hand, which was sniffed cautiously, then, after a moment’s deliberation, the rat scrambled onto it and up his arm. Ryan stroked him gently, allowing the rat to climb onto his shoulder and sniff his face, the whiskers tickling his cheek.

“Seems you’ve made a new friend,” Colin smiled, “and he’s not one to give his friendship easily.” He paused, the pen idle in his hand as he watched the two of them interact. “If he pees on you, that means he _really_ likes you.”

Ryan laughed, a deep rumble that Colin decided he liked the sound of. “I will feel appropriately honored. Can I ask what my new friend’s name is?”

“Nosfer, or Nos for short,” Colin replied, putting a hand into his pocket, “and this one,” he continued, pulling out his sleepier companion, “is his brother, Ratu.”

Ryan snorted, pulling out a chair to sit down. “Fitting.”

Colin stroked the rapidly awakening Ratu, as Nos continued to thoroughly explore Ryan. “More than you’d think, actually. Nosferatu is derived from the Greek word, ‘nosophoros’, which means plague carrier--something which the rat obviously has a bit of a bad rep for.”

“Well, I love them,” Ryan smiled, lifting his arm to allow Nos to run along its length. “I always wanted one when I was young, but my parents hated the idea. They didn’t believe me when I said they made good, clean, pets.”

Colin smirked, raising an arm to let Nos run onto it. “I bet they didn’t believe in vampires either.”

“No,” Ryan sighed, his smile slipping. “Not even when my brother was killed.”

Colin looked up from stroking Ratu, his face now etched with a sorrowful understanding. “I’m sorry.”

Ryan shrugged, not meeting his eyes as he idly fiddled with one of the abandoned coffee cups. “It was a long time ago.”

In a single moment, the mood had transformed from playful cheerfulness to somber reflection. Ryan was staring past the cup, seemingly lost in painful memories. Colin reached out to place a hand on his arm supportively.

“It never really goes away, though, does it? The pain?”

Ryan blinked, then looked back at him and smiled, although Colin noticed that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No, but taking out the son of a bitch vamp who killed him helped.”

Squeezing his arm briefly, Colin withdrew his hand and scooped Nos up from the table. “That’s why you joined?”

“Initially, yes, but then I realized that I’d found something that I was good at, and if I can prevent other families going through what we did then I can sleep a little better.” He ran a hand through his hair, stifling a yawn. “Speaking of which, I really need to hit the sack.”

Colin smiled at Ryan’s hair which was now sticking up at all angles, making it look like he’d just rolled out of bed. “We’ve got cots in the next room if you can’t make it home, you know.” Ryan quirked an eyebrow and Colin shrugged. “Sometimes it’s just not worth the trip by the time we finish. Don’t ever try sleeping in the same room as Brad, though. He snores like a hibernating bear.”

“And he’s also as grumpy, apparently,” Ryan muttered, rubbing his eyes.

Colin glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost six a.m. “Come on,” he said, nudging Ryan’s shoulder as he got up. “Let’s get out of here.”

“What about your report?” Ryan asked, slowly getting to his feet.

“What are they going to do?” Colin asked, grinning, as he donned his coat. “Fire me?”

Ryan snorted. “Good point.”

“Where do you live?”

“Orchard Street.”

“Oh, right,” Colin said, depositing Nos and Ratu in his deep pockets. “Well, that’s on my route if you don’t mind some company.”

“Hey, I’m not going to say no to personal slayer protection on my way home,” Ryan said in mock-seriousness. “Anything could happen otherwise.”

Colin snorted and shoved him towards the door playfully. “Yeah, just watch out for a mugger with two broken hands.”


	6. Chapter 6

Ryan was feeling more cheerful as he walked to work that evening, the setting sun casting a long shadow behind him. His mind wandered back to the journey home in the early hours with Colin, and he smiled. Despite being dead on his feet, he’d enjoyed Colin’s company immensely and had found that they shared a very similar sense of humor, among many other things. He thought that they’d connected on a deeper level too, something which he hadn’t felt for quite a while, and was pretty sure that Colin had felt it too. All in all, it had made him feel a lot more comfortable about his new job and his place in the team. He could even put up with Brad’s attitude towards him.

Crossing the bridge over the winding river, he glanced down at the flashes of red and orange glinting off the water as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. Working nights meant that he got to see a lot of sunrises and sunsets, no two ever quite the same. The last few remaining rays of sunshine did little to warm his skin, and he zipped up his jacket before plunging his hands into his pockets. It was only late August, yet autumn seemed to have taken a firm hold already, chasing away the last of the summer‘s warmth and turning the leaves on the trees.

“Hey, Ryan!”

He stopped and turned, thinking for a moment that it might be Colin, but it was Jeff who was jogging to catch up. Ryan tried not to show his disappointment. “Hi, Jeff.”

“I didn’t know you came this way,” Jeff grinned, falling into step beside him.

Ryan shrugged. “I like a change sometimes.”

“Fair enough. So, how do you like being an Alpha so far?”

“It’s good,” Ryan nodded. “Different, but I’m enjoying the challenge.”

“I’m glad,” Jeff replied, flashing him a smile. “I know it’s difficult being the newbie. I had to go through it when I joined a year ago, but they’re a really good bunch of guys.”

“They are,” Ryan agreed. He hesitated before continuing. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Jeff said casually.

“Why does Brad hate me?”

Jeff shook his head, smiling ruefully. “He doesn’t hate you,” he replied, pausing. “He resents you.”

“Oh, great,” Ryan snorted, “that’s so much better.”

Jeff gave him a sympathetic look. “You have to understand that Brad was very close to Wayne. He was going to resent anyone who took his place... it just happened to be you. It’s nothing personal.”

“Oh, were he and Wayne… you know… together?” Ryan asked hesitantly.

“No, not like that,” Jeff smirked. “They’d just been friends for a long time. Brad isn’t a member of that particular club. Neither is Chip, as far as I’m aware.”

Ryan was tempted to ask about Colin, but it would look far too obvious. Instead he contented himself with skirting around the issue, hoping for helpful hints. “You?”

“Yeah, I’ve been out of the proverbial closet since I was fourteen. Greg is too, so the group is pretty evenly split on that.”

Ryan waited with baited breath for more, but no further information was forthcoming so he gave in and asked the burning question anyway. They were almost there, walking through the familiar rusted gates to the library, and he was running out of time. “What about Colin?” The few seconds he had to wait for an answer felt like a lifetime.

“I believe that our beloved slayer is also a card carrying member of our club, based on what Greg’s told me.” They reached the side entrance, and Jeff cast him an amused sideways glance. “You like him, don’t you?”

Ryan was taken aback by the directness of the question and his brain jammed, making speech impossible. Luckily, Jeff simply gave him an understanding smile and clasped his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell. I had a major crush on him when I first joined, too.”

Ryan opened his mouth to splutter an indignant response but Jeff had already disappeared into the darkness. Heaving a sigh, Ryan followed.

 

Once they’d passed through the security doors into the brightly lit interior of headquarters, and were making their way across the main control room, Drew suddenly appeared to walk alongside Ryan.

“I was hoping to catch up with you tonight. How’s it going?”

“Fine,” Ryan replied cautiously, wondering if Drew had read the report on that disastrous first night and what Colin had written exactly.

Drew, however, seemed perfectly content with his answer. “Good.”

Jeff merely gave Drew a fleeting glance as he pushed open the door to the Alpha room. Ryan followed after Drew, his eyes immediately coming to rest on the only two occupants: Colin, who was sitting, head bent, and writing, and Greg, who murmured something in Colin’s ear as the three of them entered. Ryan felt something unexpected bubble up inside him at the scene, and it took him a moment to realize that it was jealousy.

“I’ve nearly finished your report, Drew,” Colin said, without looking up, “so you can call the paperwork police off.”

Drew smiled, pulling up a chair. “Good guess, but that’s not why I’m here.”

Colin lifted his head, his eyes flitting across Jeff and Ryan briefly before focusing on Drew. “Sounds ominous.”

“It could be,” Drew replied mysteriously. “The fact is that we’ve been getting worrying reports from some of our other US bases.”

The paperwork lay forgotten as Ryan and Jeff took seats around the table. Drew now had Colin’s full attention. “An increase in activity?”

Drew shook his head. “No, just the opposite. It’s gone uncharacteristically quiet over the last few weeks, and we’ve seen a forty percent drop in V incidents across the Northern states. Now, I’d like to think that it’s purely down to our operatives doing a damn fine job but I’ve learnt from experience that things are rarely as clear-cut as they seem.”

“Well it’s certainly been quiet around here, apart from the odd skirmish,” Colin said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “If there’s something bigger going on, I haven’t seen any evidence of it.”

“That’s what worries me,” Drew sighed. “I’ve got a feeling that it’s merely the calm before the storm.”

“Okay,” Colin nodded, as Brad and Chip came through the door, “we’ll keep our ears to the ground.”

“What’s going on?” Brad asked loudly, taking a huge bite out of a sandwich he was clutching. “We better not be getting another new team member.”

Ryan ignored the comment; he was used to Brad’s little digs by now, but he was surprised and pleased the next moment when Colin came to his defense.

“Cut it out, Brad. I’ll be replacing _you_ if you can’t make it to work on time.” Brad started to vehemently protest that Chip had been late too, but Colin cut across him. “I want everyone ready to go in five minutes. Move.”

Ryan distinctly heard Brad muttering mutinously under his breath as everyone scattered and Drew got to his feet. “I’ll leave you to it. Keep me posted.”

Colin signed his report and handed it over as he got up, too. “Will do.”

Ryan was changed and ready to go within a couple of minutes, beating Brad who was still grumbling as he pulled on his boots. Ryan had to hide a smile as he walked past. After all the crap he’d had to endure since joining, it was good to see Brad getting a little of it back. He joined the others by the door, catching the tail end of Colin’s explanation of the current situation for Chip’s benefit. Brad appeared beside him moments later.

“Okay,” Colin said, his voice radiating authority. “I want all of you to stay alert tonight. There might be something bad brewing.” Predictably, Brad opened his mouth to interrupt but Colin didn’t give him the chance. “Chip will fill you in on the details, Brad. He’s your partner tonight.”

Relief washed over Ryan. He wasn’t sure he could have put up with Brad two nights in a row. He also felt a little hopeful about who his partner was going to be, but that hope was dashed almost immediately as Colin continued.

“Jeff, you’re with Ryan, and Greg’s with me. Stay safe, and call me if you run into trouble.”

Jeff gave Ryan a sympathetic smile as they headed for the armory. “Sorry, man,” he muttered, leaning in so he wouldn’t be overheard. “I guess you’re stuck with me tonight.”

Ryan shrugged, a smile forming. “Let’s go get ‘em, partner.”


	7. Chapter 7

Despite his initial disappointment at not being paired with Colin for the evening, Ryan had to admit that he had a good time with his partner. Jeff was refreshingly honest and to the point, foregoing all the usual bullshit associated with someone of his age. Ryan wished that he could have been so well adjusted in his twenties--it could have saved him a lot of grief--but there was no point dwelling on things which couldn’t be changed. All of that was behind him now.

Several hours into their patrol, as midnight approached, he and Jeff were right down at the South end of town--the posh end as most people referred to it--where the large houses sat in sprawling grounds and the tree-lined streets stayed garbage-free. There had been no sign of any sort of trouble so far, not that they expected any. This patrol route very rarely yielded results, but the radio silence indicated that everyone else was having a similarly quiet night too.

Deciding to rest for a moment, they sat down on a bench in a deserted children’s playground just as a light rain began to fall. The playground had an eerie feel to it under cover of darkness, with no children’s laughter to banish the creeping sense of foreboding. The swings gently swayed in the wind, squeaking in an almost melancholy way, and the hairs on the back of Ryan’s neck prickled uncomfortably as he scanned the area. Something wasn’t right.

Jeff started to say something, but Ryan held up a hand. All his senses were on full alert and, the next moment, his gut instinct was proved right. He caught a flash of blue in the darkness beneath the slide, and subtly signalled to Jeff who silently withdrew a stake and the radio from his belt. It was Ryan’s first encounter with a vampire since his less than stellar performance on his first shift, and his heart thumped uncomfortably as he slowly got to his feet, blinking drops of rain from his eyes.

The darkness around the park was absolute, the heavy cloud cover obscuring any moonlight, and he couldn’t be sure of how many vampires they were potentially dealing with. Jeff walked casually away, skirting the perimeter of the playground to circle around behind whilst surreptitiously murmuring into his radio, and Ryan edged forward, his eyes fixed on the same spot, straining to catch the slightest movement.

When he was within a few feet of the dark structure, a small shape came hurtling out at him. Ryan just managed to throw his hands up defensively before he was thrown backwards onto the ground by the force of the body which collided with his. Blinking up at his attacker, he realized that it was in fact a young girl, thirteen or fourteen at most, although she had a strength that far exceeded her age due to her condition. Her fangs were bared in a snarl as she tried to reach his throat but, within moments, she was abruptly pulled off him and restrained by Jeff, spitting and snarling her displeasure.

“Let me go, asshole.”

“Tut, tut, such language,” Jeff chided calmly.

Ryan got to his feet, giving Jeff a brief, grateful, smile before looking back at the girl. Her defiant expression faltered slightly as she noticed the stakes on his belt. Ryan figured that he should at least try to get some answers out of her while they had the opportunity. “Why are you down this end of town?”

When the girl didn’t reply, Jeff shook her. “Answer him.”

“Because I felt like coming here, okay?” she snapped, struggling fruitlessly against Jeff’s tight hold.

“Are you alone?”

She laughed mirthlessly, revealing the sharp tips of her teeth. “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about that. The others don’t want me around. They’re no fun anymore, never let me do anything I want to do. Not since _he_ arrived.”

There was a distinctly sulky tone to her voice now, and Ryan repressed the urge to roll his eyes. Teenagers were all the same, vampire or not. However, his interest was sparked by the mysterious man she mentioned. “Who’s _he_?”

“What’s it worth?” she asked, her expression smug. “Want to give me a snack to aid my recollection?”

Ryan snorted at her sheer audacity. “How about we just don’t kill you?”

The sulky expression returned in full force. “I don’t know his name. He makes us call him master, says we need to learn some discipline. All I know is life was a lot more fun before he came here.” She paused, a cold smile marring her young face. “He’s planning something big, though… you’ll all be begging for mercy soon enough.”

The silence that met this statement was broken by rapid footfalls, which heralded the arrival of reinforcements. Ryan looked around and his stomach fluttered of its own accord as Colin appeared, with Greg hot on his heels. The distraction was enough for the girl to break free and make a run for it. Ryan caught Jeff’s arm to stop him from following. “Let her go.”

“You two okay?” Colin asked as soon as he reached them.

“We’re fine,” Jeff reassured him. “Turns out there was just the one to deal with.”

“What happened?”

Ryan exchanged a dark look with Jeff before meeting Colin’s gaze. “We may have a bigger problem than we thought.”

 

Everyone returned to base several hours later, cold and soaking wet. The rain had begun to fall in earnest as Ryan and Jeff had filled Colin in on the situation in the playground, and it hadn’t stopped when they’d resumed their patrol. The rest of the night had proved quiet and uneventful, but Ryan could tell that Colin was worried about what lay ahead. As soon as they were through the secure set of doors, Colin headed off to brief Drew. Ryan hung around for a while after the others had gone, hoping that perhaps he could walk home with Colin again, but he finally had to reluctantly concede defeat.

 

Ryan trudged along the pavement in the steely gray light of dawn, his hands deep in his pockets and his head down. The rain had left a distinct chill in the air and his damp clothes were doing little to maintain his body temperature. It was Saturday morning, though, which meant two nights off, and he intended to catch up on some much-needed sleep. He’d never really got used to sleeping in the day.

Turning a corner, he heard the rumble of an approaching vehicle and automatically stepped over to the far side of the pavement. The last thing he needed was to be drenched from the large puddles which lined the road, but he was surprised when a sleek black motorbike pulled up alongside him. He stopped walking and stared curiously as the rider took off his helmet.

“Hey,” Colin grinned. “You need a ride?”

Ryan was rendered momentarily speechless. If he’d thought Colin couldn’t look any better than when he was in slayer gear, he was wrong. Colin in full leathers was infinitely sexier. He cleared his throat, praying that his voice would sound normal.

“A ride?”

Colin’s grin widened. “Yeah, I’ve got a spare helmet… unless you _want_ to walk, of course.”

“No!” Ryan interjected quickly. “A ride sounds good.” He plucked the proffered helmet from Colin’s hands and slid it onto his head.

“Hop on, then,” Colin said loudly, replacing his helmet and revving the engine.

Sending up a silent thank you to whichever deity had decided to smile on him, Ryan slid onto the back and hesitated a moment before wrapping his arms firmly around Colin’s waist.

“Hold on tight,” Colin shouted, and Ryan was only too happy to oblige as they smoothly pulled away.

The cold was quickly forgotten in a rush of adrenaline and blissful contentment, the feel of Colin’s firm body against him sending his mind to all sorts of pleasurable places. He’d been on a motorbike a several times, even seriously contemplating buying his own a few years ago, but this ride left all the others in the shade. Unfortunately, the distance to his apartment was covered quickly and, far too soon for his liking, Ryan was climbing off the bike and handing his helmet back.

“Thanks.”

Colin took off his own helmet again, his foot resting on the ground to steady the bike. “No problem,” he smiled. “Listen, there’s a meeting at the base on Sunday afternoon. I know it’s our day off, but this new threat is going to mean extra hours.”

Ryan nodded. He preferred to be working anyway. “That’s fine.”

“Great. It’s at two o’clock. I’ll see you then.”

“Do you want to come in for a coffee?”

The words were out of Ryan’s mouth before he had time to think about it, born out of a sudden, deep-seated, need to stay in Colin’s company a little longer. Colin looked a little surprised by the offer, but smiled nevertheless.

“Thanks, but I really need to get home.”

Ryan tried not to show his feeling of crushing disappointment, but his smile felt horribly forced. “Okay. Thanks again for the ride.”

Colin nodded, and Ryan turned away to head inside.

“Hey,” Colin called, before he’d taken more than a few steps, and Ryan turned questioningly. “Next time, okay?”

This time Ryan’s smile was completely genuine as he nodded, watching as Colin replaced the helmet and sped off. 

_There was going to be a next time._


	8. Chapter 8

Ryan didn’t wake up until eleven thirty the following morning, having slept more than twelve hours, and actually felt fairly human again. He stayed in bed for several minutes, loathe to move, but a pressing need forced him to leave his warm cocoon of bedclothes and pad barefoot to the bathroom. He could tell that the weather had cheered up somewhat from the golden light streaming through the frosted window.

There was a loud thump followed by muffled shouting as he washed his hands, and Ryan groaned inwardly. His neighbors weren’t happy unless they had something to argue about, and it baffled him how they had managed to stay together. Their disputes seemed to be an almost daily occurrence. He could never live with someone he didn’t get on with… not that living with anyone else was at all a prospect in the foreseeable future, and he was fine with that. For the most part, anyway.

The shouting increased in volume, joined shortly by a second voice, and Ryan decided to take a shower to drown out the noise. It didn’t particularly work so he tried to concentrate on his plans for the day as the hot water cascaded down him, abruptly remembering that he was supposed to go into work in a little over two hours. That brought the memory of Colin astride his bike to mind, full leathers hugging every curve of his body, which proved a more than adequate distraction from the disagreement next door.

It was well past midday by the time he’d finished his shower, dressed, and had something to eat. Not wanting to sit in his apartment, listening to the continuing row next door--seriously, did they even stop to take a breath?--he grabbed his jacket and left, intending to make the most of the sunshine while it was still around. Pausing outside his door to light a cigarette, he saw his landlady appear down the hall and groaned inwardly. Mrs Harper was quite possibly the nosiest woman in the known universe, a middle-aged spinster with at least ten cats whom she doted on, and she liked nothing better than to pry into his private life at any given opportunity. She’d actually tried to fix him up with her niece once, which had been awkward for all concerned.

“Oh hello, Mr Stiles,” she called, smiling in that kind of patronizing way that the older generation do so well. “Off out, are you?”

Ryan took the unlit cigarette out of his mouth and pocketed it. “Yes, I’ve got to get to work.” He headed for the stairs but, unfortunately, she was going in the same direction.

“On a Sunday? It shouldn’t be allowed. I know the world doesn’t stop for anyone nowadays, but Sunday should still be a day of rest.”

“Mmm,” Ryan replied vaguely. He was tempted to say that vampires didn’t generally acknowledge or acquiesce to religiously significant days, but held his tongue as he reached the ground floor and headed for the door.

“Don’t work too hard,” Mrs Harper called after him, and he glanced back to smile politely. She had no idea.

It was a relief to step out into the sunshine, and he took a deep breath of fresh air before descending the few steps down to the sidewalk. He retrieved his cigarette from his pocket as he began to walk, pausing only briefly to light it. The streets looked positively crowded compared to how he was used to seeing them. The sunlight somehow gave everything an infinitely more pleasant quality. He remembered the lazy summer afternoons of his childhood, playing out with his brother until the last rays of the sun faded. The world had seemed so full of promise back then, an endless sea of possibilities, until they discovered that the monsters from their games of make-believe were all too real.

He took a long drag from his cigarette, sighing as the nicotine flooded his brain, and eyed a couple of young boys playing ball in a park across the street. They had the same look of carefree exuberance that he used to wear, an innocence too fragile to last… especially in this town.

_You’ll all be begging for mercy soon enough..._

The echo of the young vampire’s words in his mind made him clench his jaw in quiet resolve. As long as there was breath in his body, he wasn’t going to let this town fall.

 

It was almost two o’clock when Ryan slid through the concealed opening into the abandoned library, careful to check that the coast was clear first, and made his way towards the elevator. The building looked very different in the middle of the day, rays of sunshine lighting up patches of the dusty shelves from the scattered holes in the roof. If possible, it looked even more forlorn.

As the elevator carried him down, he wondered what the meeting was going to entail and who else was going to be there… maybe all the area teams had been summoned, including the Gammas. He had to admit that it would be nice to see his old team-mates again, to be among friends for a change.

Within minutes he was through the security doors and in the harsh artificial lighting of the base’s interior. In contrast to the sunlit streets outside, the central room was almost empty. The day shift only consisted of a handful of people, to man the phones and generally keep an eye on things, unless the alert level was raised, in which case the numbers evened out on both shifts. Ryan’s footsteps sounded unnaturally loud as he walked towards the Alpha room and, when he entered, he was disappointed to find that Colin wasn’t there yet. Everyone else was already waiting and conversing seriously.

“… could just be bravado. I mean, she was only young.”

Greg spared Ryan a brief glance as he took a seat beside him. “Yeah, but that doesn’t explain the decrease in activity, Jeff.”

“Coincidence? I mean, we’ve had lulls before.”

Ryan thought Jeff sounded more hopeful than convinced. Chip, who was sitting opposite, had a deep, brooding, expression, while Brad was idly tossing playing cards into a cup at the end of the table.

“But what if it isn’t?” Greg pressed. “What if it’s ’81 all over again? That was too damn close for comfort.”

A memory from Ryan’s training days stirred in his mind. “1981? That was when the last slayer was killed, wasn’t it?”

Four heads turned in his direction, and Brad’s hand stilled in mid-air.

“Yeah,” Greg replied after a moment. “We almost lost everything on that day. If this is another attack like that one… God help us.”

The tense silence which followed was abruptly broken by the door opening, making them all jump, and Colin walked in briskly, greeting the group with a smile.

“Thanks for coming, guys.”

His presence seemed to warm up the whole room and everyone visibly relaxed. Ryan wondered if it was a slayer thing, or just Colin, but it was hard to stay worried in the face of his calm reassurance. When Colin came to stand behind him, resting his hands on the back of his chair, it made the hairs on Ryan’s neck prickle. He tried his best to ignore the smirk Jeff sent in his direction.

“As you know,” Colin said smoothly, “I briefed Drew about the situation but, as yet, we don’t have enough intel to do anything about it. He’s put out the word to the other bases to stay vigilant, though.”

“That’s it?” Chip blurted.

Colin glanced at him. “Not quite. We’ve decided to do extra training in the meantime so that we can be fully prepared if and when the time comes. That’s why I’ve asked you here today. From now on, training sessions will take place on Sundays from two ‘til four. Any questions?” He paused for a moment and Ryan half expected Brad to start complaining, his expression disgruntled, but no-one spoke. “Okay then, let’s go.”

There was a large room at the base which was used specifically for training purposes. All new Angel recruits had to go through months of training before they were allowed out in the field, and there were an array of weapons they had to learn how to handle. These covered the walls on all sides, and the floor was padded to prevent unnecessary injury during these sessions.

Colin led the group into the room, shrugging off his jacket in preparation. “Right,” he said, throwing it aside as everyone gathered around. “I know you’ve all been trained in self-defense but for some of you that was quite a while ago, so we’re going to brush up on those skills first.” There were several nods of agreement. “So,” Colin continued, taking a few steps backwards so that he was in the center of the room, “who wants to take me on?”

Five reluctant faces looked back at him, making Colin chuckle. “Come on, I promise to take it easy on you.”

“I will, dude,” Greg volunteered when no-one else spoke, although he still looked a little unsure as he stepped forward.

“Thank you, Greg,” Colin grinned, slapping him on the back. “Okay, you’re going to be the attacker in this scenario. The aim is to get your opponent pinned on the ground so… give me your best shot.”

Greg took off his own jacket and rolled up his sleeves as the rest of the guys whistled and cheered.

“Come on, Greg,” Jeff shouted encouragingly, a broad grin covering his face.

Colin stayed quite still as Greg circled him, deciding how best to attack, and Ryan felt a thrill of anticipation as he watched them from the sidelines. Greg suddenly lunged at Colin from behind, as Ryan knew he would, and a split second later he was lying face-up on the floor, having been pulled over Colin’s shoulder in one swift movement. There was a collective wince from everyone watching.

“Always be ready for an attack from behind,” Colin told the group, offering a hand to Greg who allowed himself to be pulled up. “Who’s next?”

They took it in turns to go up against Colin, alternating roles occasionally, but no-one was able to beat him. Ryan came the closest, managing to stay on his feet for a full five seconds before Colin took him down… not that he minded the full body contact in the slightest. After an hour of demonstration and instruction they divided into pairs and attempted to take each other out, sometimes getting a little carried away. Brad got distracted for a second to watch Colin take down Jeff, and Chip took advantage by executing a full body tackle, knocking both the wind and the dignity out of his partner, much to the amusement of the others… especially Ryan.

“Okay,” Colin called eventually, clapping his hands to draw everyone’s attention. “That’s enough for today. Go enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

“Thank God,” Brad groaned, immediately heading for the door. “I need alcohol. Who’s with me?”

There was a general murmur of agreement. Greg, Chip, and Jeff followed Brad out, but Ryan lingered behind as Colin retrieved his jacket. Colin flashed him a smile when he noticed him waiting.

“You did really well today.”

Ryan grimaced. “I could have done better.”

“Hey, I saw you take down Greg a fair few times,” Colin grinned. “You almost had _me_ for a moment, too.”

Ryan snorted. “No chance.”

“You did!” When Ryan continued to look unconvinced, Colin put his jacket down again. “Okay, you want to try again? No audience to distract you?”

Ryan wasn’t going to say no. He grinned and got into position, a look of deep concentration on his face.

“This time, use your legs as well as your arms,” Colin instructed. “Take your time.”

Ryan began to circle him, noticing the tension in Colin’s posture, the slight twitch of his muscles in anticipation of the inevitable attack, but made himself wait until he was absolutely ready. Then, in an instant, Ryan was upon him and it became a battle of skill, strength, and will. He knew to dodge the headlock which had put him out the last time, and fought to restrain the arms which were trying to enclose him. Remembering Colin’s instruction, he kicked out with his foot and caught a leg, which gave him a split second advantage as Colin was forced to adjust his balance. It took all of his strength, but a moment later he had Colin pinned on the floor and was grinning victoriously.

Colin laughed at his gleeful expression. “See? I knew you could do it.”

Gazing down, Ryan suddenly became aware of just how close they were, their body’s entangled, their faces only a few inches apart, and his heart sped up as his grin faded. A reckless daring swept over him and his body moved of its own accord, starting to inch slowly closer…

The door banged open loudly and Ryan pulled back swiftly, getting to his feet as Brad reappeared. At that moment Ryan could have quite happily murdered him.

“I thought training was over?”

Colin got up too. He was still smiling, seemingly oblivious to the previous moment. “It is. Ryan was just getting some extra practice in.”

“Oh. Well, do you want to come out with us?”

“I can’t, I’m afraid,” Colin replied, grabbing his jacket again. “I have another meeting to attend.”

Brad’s questioning gaze moved to Ryan, surprising him a little, but he shook his head. “I have plans.” In truth he didn’t have any plans whatsoever, but he wouldn’t have been good company in his present frame of mind.

“Okay,” Brad shrugged. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”

“Don’t drink too much,” Colin said good-naturedly, as they followed him out, and Brad made a non-committal sound as he walked away with a wave. Colin snorted and turned back to Ryan. “I’d better go, too, or I’ll be late. Great work, though.”

Ryan felt the warmth of Colin’s hand on his arm for a moment and then he was gone, the giddy happiness of only a few minutes ago reduced to nothing but an aching emptiness.


	9. Chapter 9

Colin took another mouthful of coffee, trying to look like he was listening to the droning voice of the Angel’s chief executive. Whether he succeeded or not, he didn’t particularly care. In truth, there was no reason for him to be at the meeting at all. He wasn’t contributing anything. It was more about showing his face--the faithful company mascot, there to rouse the troops and boost morale. It got a little tiring after a while. Still, he was able to do his job a lot better with the technical support and added manpower.

As the men in suits went over the latest figures, Colin’s mind drifted back to the training session and, more specifically, Ryan. A good, strong, fighter with a natural skill. Okay, he could have beaten Ryan if he’d really wanted to but that wasn’t the point of the exercise. As for the man himself, Colin felt a strange connection with him, almost as if he’d known Ryan for years rather than weeks. Their easy conversation was very much like that of two old friends. But he’d caught a glimpse of something else in Ryan’s eyes earlier, just before Brad had walked in... an intensity which Colin hadn’t seen before. It was definitely something which warranted further investigation. Maybe he should take Ryan up on that coffee sooner rather than later.

“Do you have anything to add, Colin?”

He snapped back to the present and glanced across the table at Drew. “I don’t think so. As I said, we’ve got very little to go on at the moment and she wasn’t exactly a reliable informant.”

The chief, an older white-haired man with chiseled features, gave him an imperious look. “Better to err on the side of caution, though, wouldn’t you say?”

“Absolutely,” Colin replied, inclining his head a fraction, “and we will, of course, take all necessary precautions.”

Five minutes later, Colin emerged from the board room, feeling drained. The only thought on his mind was getting home and making the most of his night off before what could potentially be a very difficult week. Ryan was forgotten.

 

The weather was cooling rapidly now September had arrived, and the team had to don extra layers to keep them warm during their night-time wanderings. Despite the young vampire’s warning, the streets remained quiet. Too quiet. As the days went on, there were some hopeful murmurings that the whole thing was just a bluff, but there remained an unspoken tension within the organization as a whole.

Ryan was particularly tense on Thursday night’s patrol, but this was mostly due to his designated partner rather than the current situation. He and Brad had reached an uneasy truce, but he still dreaded the nights they spent together. It was difficult to maintain any kind of conversation with him, like he could with any other member of the team, and it didn’t help that he had yet to spend any more time alone with Colin since the training session, something which he couldn’t help resenting Brad for interrupting.

“Damn, it’s cold.”

Ryan glanced sideways at his partner, who was puffing warm air onto his hands and rubbing them together. It was the first time either of them had spoken in the last twenty minutes.

“Yeah, winter’s coming on fast.”

“I hope we don’t get as much snow as last winter,” Brad said, ducking under an overhanging branch which jutted out over the path like a clawing hand. “Although, we did have an epic snowball fight at Christmas. Wayne…” he stopped abruptly, a pained look crossing his face. “Never mind.”

“You know, maybe talking about him would help,” Ryan suggested after a moment.

“No, it wouldn’t.”

“You should-“

“Just leave it, man!” Brad snapped, turning on him. “You don’t know anything about it.”

“No, I don’t,” Ryan replied, his voice rising with his temper, “because you won’t talk to me. You won’t even give me a chance to be your friend. Do you want me to quit the team? Is that it?”

“No.”

Brad carried on walking, but Ryan wasn’t going to let the matter drop that easily. He caught up with Brad and spun him around. “Then what? Let’s have it out, right here and now.”

Brad ripped his arm out of Ryan’s grip furiously. “You want to know the truth? Fine! Yes, I resented you for taking Wayne’s place but it’s more than that. That first night proved that you’re a wild card, Ryan. You act first and think later, damn the consequences, and that only gets people killed.” He paused, breathing hard. His next words were quieter, but spoken with intense conviction. “If you want to die being a hero, go ahead… but don’t take my friends with you.”

Before Ryan could attempt to formulate a response, a new voice broke into the moment. “Excuse me…”

Both Ryan and Brad turned, surprised to see that a middle-aged man was now standing a little way off.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if you could give me some directions.”

Brad expelled a deep breath. “You’re not interrupting. I’m done here.” He turned his back on Ryan and took a few steps towards the man. “Where are you headed?”

“The B & B on Beech Avenue. I seem to have lost my bearings somewhat.” He smiled apologetically.

“Happens to the best of us,” Brad replied. “We’re actually heading in that direction, so we can take you of you want.”

“Oh, thank you. That’d be great.”

Brad nodded and looked back at Ryan. He was momentarily startled, both by the fierce expression on Ryan’s face and the gun he was pointing in their direction.

“What the hell?”

“Step away from him,” Ryan said firmly.

Brad, however, showed no sign of moving. He just looked pissed. “Are you out of your mind, Ryan? What the fuck-“

“Move, Brad!”

Brad angry retort was cut off by an unearthly sound behind him and, before he could turn, he found himself lifted up into the air by his neck, shock rendering him speechless. Cursing, Ryan lifted his gun and fired; the bullet skimmed Brad’s shoulder and a screech told him it had found its target.

Brad dropped to the ground, scrambling around just in time to see what was once a seemingly harmless man break apart before his eyes, emitting a dazzlingly bright light. He raised a hand to shield his eyes and heard a high-pitch scream before the light vanished and everything was suddenly silent and still. Shaking, he looked back at Ryan. “A demon. How… ?”

Ryan replaced his gun and offered Brad a hand. “His eyes glowed red for a second.”

“Shit,” Brad cursed, allowing Ryan to help him up; “I should have seen it.” He dusted himself off, still shaking from the adrenaline rushing through his veins, while Ryan pulled the radio from his belt to call it in. Brad put out a hand to stop him, looking awkward in the dim light. “Thanks, man.”

Ryan shrugged. “That’s what partners are for.” It was a simple exchange, but enough. Ryan lifted the radio to his mouth. “Team three to team leader, come in.”

A moment of silence, and then, “Go ahead.”

“We’ve just had contact with a category A on Church Road…”

 

“Wow. Ryan totally saved your ass, Brad.”

They were back in the light and warmth of the base, Ryan having just described what happened for what felt like the hundredth time to those gathered around him. He kept having to re-tell it every time someone else returned. There was a mischievous twinkle in Jeff’s eyes as he spoke, a short burst of laughter escaping at Brad’s muttered response under his breath. Everyone seemed more amused than alarmed by the tale… everyone except Colin, who sat unnaturally quiet as he filled out the nightly report. Ryan noticed that his expression turned deep and brooding every time his pen paused.

A short while later, the rest of the guys left in a whirlwind of noise and good-natured banter but Ryan decided to linger a little while longer. Colin hadn’t quite finished his report, and Ryan wanted to find out what was troubling him. That and he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to be alone with him again. Colin finished writing and looked back over the report before signing it with a flourish. He looked more tired than usual, Ryan thought, but maybe it was just the harsh artificial lighting.

“You okay?”

Colin’s head snapped up, surprise gracing his features for the briefest of moments. He obviously hadn’t realized that Ryan was still in the room. “I’m fine.” The smile was genuine, but his eyes revealed the lie. “You need a ride home?”

Ryan decided not to push the matter, at least not now. “That’d be great.”

Colin nodded and got up, pausing to stretch, and Ryan’s eyes were immediately drawn to a small area of exposed skin at his waist.

“That offer of a coffee still stand?”

Ryan’s eyes flew up to Colin’s face, his brain taking a few seconds to catch up. “Sure!” He hoped he wasn’t grinning too much like a fool, but he couldn’t help it.

Colin returned the grin. “Great. Just let me grab my gear, then I’m yours.”


	10. Chapter 10

The second ride with Colin was just an enjoyable as the first. Ryan held on a little tighter than he needed to, flush against Colin’s back with the warmth of his body seeping through his leathers. Once again, he was loathe to get off when they reached his street, despite the light drizzle which had begun to dampen his clothes.

The large building looked particularly sombre without the morning sun which normally warmed its stone and lit its windows. They took the steps two at a time as the rain increased in intensity, sheltering under the small overhang while Ryan attempted to open the door.

“Damn thing always sticks in rainy weather.”

“Want me to try?”

“It’s okay, I got it.” One sharp shove with a shoulder and the door swung open.

Luckily they didn’t cross paths with his nosy landlady on the way up to his apartment, something which Ryan was extremely thankful for. She was one of those infernally cheerful early risers, and he often had to force a smile for her benefit when he returned from another tiring shift. He led Colin up the stairs and along the hall, their footsteps sounding unnaturally loud in the hushed peace of dawn. Even his volatile neighbours hadn’t started their daily conflict yet, although he very much doubted that they ever slept in the same bed. The guy had a distinct ‘relegated to the couch’ look about him.

Arriving at the right door, Ryan slid his key into the lock, hoping that he hadn’t left the place too untidy. He’d been in a rush earlier, so he wasn’t too optimistic about his chances, but there was nothing he could do about it now. The door swung open and Ryan flicked the light on, relieved when it revealed a moderately tidy front room.

“Make yourself at home. I’ll get the coffee on.”

Colin followed him inside and closed the door, looking around with polite curiosity. It was by no means a large apartment, but the decor had a welcoming feel to it; plenty of wood and warm colours. Ryan surreptitiously swiped some dirty clothing from the sofa on his way past, throwing it into the bedroom before heading into the kitchen. Making the coffee as quickly as possible, he returned to find Colin looking out of the window at the slowly brightening sky.

“The coffee’s not great, I’m afraid,” he said, setting the mugs down on the table. “I really need to get a new machine.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Colin smiled, moving to join him, “although we probably shouldn’t be drinking something which is a proven stimulant.”

“I’ve never gotten used to sleeping in the day,” Ryan replied, sinking onto the couch wearily. “I usually end up watching old movies until I fall asleep.”

“I’ve been known to do that on more than one occasion,” Colin admitted, unzipping his leather jacket. Ryan swallowed loudly as he watched, abruptly leaning forward to grab his mug to stop himself staring. Tossing the jacket over the back of the couch, Colin sat down beside him and relaxed back into the cushions with a sigh. “This is a very comfy couch, though.”

His eyes slipped closed for a moment, and Ryan took the opportunity to study his face more closely. There was the slightest hint of a frown on his brow and shadows under his eyes, clear signs of the strain he was under at work.

“You think this is going to turn bad, don’t you?” He hadn’t meant to ask so abruptly, but he needed to know.

The frown deepened and, opening his eyes, Colin met Ryan’s questioning gaze. “I’m hoping it doesn’t.”

“That’s not answering the question.”

Colin smiled ruefully. “You’re right, it’s not.” He leant forward to pick up his steaming mug, deliberating for a moment before continuing. “When I first joined the Angels I read through every case file, going back over a century, written by the many different slayers who came before me.”

“Must have taken a while,” Ryan said, swallowing a mouthful. He adjusted his position to face Colin fully, his back leaning against the arm of the couch.

“Three months,” Colin replied, sipping his coffee. “The point is that this lull is by no means an isolated incident; a similar period precedes nearly every major threat that our world has faced by the dark forces throughout our history. In those cases it was a concerted gathering of strength, and I have a bad feeling in my gut that this is heading in that direction. The fact that it’s our busiest night of the year next month only adds to my apprehension.”

“We’ve never lost a fight yet,” Ryan pointed out.

Colin looked far from comforted by this fact. “Maybe not, but we’ve lost a lot of good men.” Draining his mug, he set it back on the table. “The incursion in ’81 took out nearly half of our forces, and I’m not sure we would have won if it hadn’t been for the slayer’s sacrifice.”

A puzzled frown creased Ryan’s forehead as he tried to remember what he’d read about that battle. He’d always assumed that the slayer had been killed. “He chose to die?”

Colin looked at him steadily. “He gave his life willingly for the sake of mankind, something which every slayer must be prepared to do. We take an oath to protect this world at all costs.”

Ryan absentmindedly swirled the last dregs of coffee in his mug, mulling over Colin’s words as the silence stretched. The thought of facing that kind of situation again caused the first tendrils of real fear to spread throughout his body. Would Colin be forced to give his life for the cause? He shuddered involuntarily and immediately felt a warm hand on his arm, glancing up to find Colin smiling at him apologetically.

“Sorry, but you _did_ want me to answer the question.”

Ryan had a sudden urge to cover Colin’s hand with his own, but Colin removed it before the thought had been fully processed. He put his mug down next to Colin’s to mask the slight movement.

“No apologies necessary. I’d rather know what I might be facing. I guess all we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Colin nodded, stretching his legs out in front of him.

It wasn’t the cosy chat over coffee which Ryan had envisaged, but he was glad that Colin had opened up to him a little. Now he just needed to take Colin’s mind off things and lighten the mood a bit.

“Hey, how about we watch an old movie for a while?” he suggested, reaching to grab the remote.

“Sure,” Colin smiled, stifling a yawn. “As long as it’s not apocalyptic and has nothing to do with vampires.”

A few minutes of channel flicking yielded a satisfactory result, and they settled down to watch. Ryan was distracted somewhat by Colin’s leg brushing against his own, but attempted to concentrate on the distinctive, gravelly voice of Humphrey Bogart.

“Love this movie,” Colin murmured, resting his head against the cushion close to Ryan’s shoulder. “Why do films always look so much better in black and white?”

Ryan smiled, turning his head towards Colin a fraction. “I guess they have that softer, timeless quality to them; the golden age of cinema.”

“Mmm.”

A comfortable silence descended as they watched the familiar tale unfold, broken by the occasional quiet comment or question. Ryan had never enjoyed watching Casablanca so much. Less than an hour into it, long before those immortal ending lines, Ryan turned to make a remark, only to find Colin sound asleep beside him.

He decided to leave Casablanca for another time, switching off the television, and quietly got up. Disappearing into the bedroom for a moment, he returned with a blanket and, leaning over, carefully laid it over Colin’s sleeping form. Colin didn’t stir, his expression clear and peaceful as he slept. He looked younger, carefree, and Ryan wished that it could always be so, that he could somehow stop the heavy burden from settling back on Colin’s shoulders when he awoke.

His gaze moved down Colin’s face and rested on his lips which were slightly parted, expelling puffs of warm air with each deep breath out. It would be so easy to close the distance and softly steal a kiss, but that wasn’t what he wanted. Not like this.

“Sweet dreams,” he murmured, then straightened up and headed for his cold bed in the next room.

 

It was well into the afternoon when Colin awoke, disorientated for a moment before memories of coffee and Casablanca drifted back. He didn’t remember dozing off, but it had been the best sleep he’d had in a long while; no dark creatures had haunted his dreams, like they had so often of late. The blanket slipped from him as he sat up and glanced at his watch. Just gone three thirty. He’d have plenty of time to pop home before their shift started.

There was no sound in the apartment, so he assumed that Ryan was still asleep. Oh well, he’d quickly grab a coffee and, if Ryan still wasn’t up, he’d leave a note. There was no sense in waking him. That decision made, Colin got up, stretched, then crept quietly towards the kitchen. The door to Ryan’s bedroom was open a little, and he paused on his way past to peer inside.

It looked like Ryan had been in a battle with the duvet and lost. It was one big twisted heap, and all Colin could see of Ryan was a long leg protruding out of it on one side. He couldn’t help but smile at the scene. The sound of slow deep breaths told him that Ryan was still very much asleep, so he carried on into the kitchen in search of caffeine.

 

Ryan woke up to the unmistakable sound of someone moving about in his kitchen, fearing it was burglars before he remembered his unexpected guest. Ignoring the flutter in his stomach, he threw back the covers, pulled on his pants, and padded into the kitchen.

Colin looked up from his coffee as Ryan entered, his gaze lingering perhaps a fraction of a second on Ryan’s exposed torso before flicking to his face with a smile.

“Hey, I hope you don’t mind.” He held up his half-full mug.

Waving a hand, Ryan went to pour some for himself. “Of course not. Help yourself to whatever.”

“Actually, I’ve got to get home,” Colin said, draining his mug in one gulp. “I need to change and grab a quick shower.”

Disappointment turned Ryan’s movements sluggish. “Oh, okay.”

Colin rinsed his mug and set it on the drainer before turning back to Ryan, who was staring morosely into his mug. “Thanks, Ry.”

Ryan lifted his head, his mouth twitching upwards at the shortening of his name. “For what?”

A small shrug. “Being a friend. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Sure.”

Ryan’s smile had disappeared before he heard the door close. _A friend_.

 

Jeff descended on Ryan the moment he arrived at work that evening. He barely had a chance to ascertain that Colin wasn’t there before he was cornered.

“Word has it,” Jeff murmured, with quiet glee, “that a certain slayer was seen leaving your place this afternoon… “ He waggled his eyebrows.

“Yeah, he stayed over,” Ryan said matter-of-factly. When Jeff’s eyebrows shot up, he quickly added, “On the couch! Geez…”

“Well, it’s a start,” Jeff grinned, punching his arm lightly, and Ryan found himself grinning back. “Oh, here he is now.”

Colin had just strolled through the door, but he wasn’t alone. An attractive man with long, shaggy, black hair and an air of unassailable confidence was by his side, chatting away like they were life-long friends. Maybe they were, Ryan thought. It made his gut twist uncomfortably.

“Who _is_ that?” he muttered to Jeff, who was also frowning.

“No idea, but it looks like Greg does.” Greg was greeting the stranger enthusiastically, and Jeff was mirroring Ryan’s disgruntled expression. “I don’t think we’ll have to wait long to find out.”

As if on cue, Colin called for their attention. “Okay, team. For those of you who don’t know him, I’d like to introduce you to one of my fellow slayers. This is Marcus.”


	11. Chapter 11

What was another slayer doing here? Did he know something? What was he to Colin? A multitude of questions were flying through Ryan’s mind as Colin went around introducing each member of the team, and he had to force a smile when it was his turn. Marcus had a firm handshake and a smile that could charm the birds from the trees. In fact, he was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Ryan didn’t like him at all.

“Marcus!” Drew called jovially, entering the room, as if greeting a favorite nephew. Ryan’s lips thinned even further. “Great to see you. What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

Marcus turned to him, and Ryan glanced sideways to meet Jeff’s knowing gaze. “I was just telling Colin… I tracked a vamp here, an oldie. He’s bad news for you, I’m afraid.”

Some of the jollity went out of Drew’s expression. “I think we’d better hear the full story. I’ll get Beta team to cover Cedarcrest tonight.”

“Playtime’s over, folks,” Jeff muttered under his breath, taking his jacket off again.

Ryan certainly shared his lack of enthusiasm. Given the choice, he would have taken patrolling with Brad for the night.

 

Over the next hour and a half, Marcus told them everything he knew. Everyone listened, hanging on every word as he wove intricate tales of his travels and encounters. His deep, smooth voice washed over them and created the most vivid scenes in their minds. Even Ryan, who sat stony faced at one end of the table, found himself drawn into the narrative against his will.

For three years, Marcus had tracked this one vampire. He was known to his kind as the Baron, and was one of the last direct descendants of the noble bloodlines. He was turned by an elder, the equivalent of vampire royalty, more than three hundred years ago. Many slayers had tried and failed to find and kill him in that time, but the Baron was a nomad of sorts, travelling extensively across Europe and beyond. Marcus had always been several steps behind him, never allowing the trail to go cold but never quite catching up with his quarry.

As fate would have it, whether by luck or design, another slayer caught up with the Baron’s coven first and, while he had escaped unharmed, his mate had been killed in the fierce battle.

“The Baroness held the last good piece of his blackened heart,” Marcus explained softly, a certain amount of pity in his deep blue eyes. “Now I fear he’s out for revenge, and he no longer has anything to lose.”

“Great, just what we need,” Brad said dryly. “A dead guy with a grudge.”

“Why did he come here?” Ryan asked, ignoring Brad. It was the first time he’d addressed Marcus directly, his curiosity outweighing his unease about the man’s presence.

Marcus turned to meet his gaze. “Cedarcrest used to be his home, a long time ago. I believe his decision to return here is significant.”

“Significant in a holy shit, this is _bad_ kind of way, I’m guessing,” Greg said from the opposite end.

“We’re not going to know anything more until he makes his first move,” Colin cut in swiftly. “If and when he does, he’s going to have two slayers to contend with--something which I’m sure he didn’t count on.”

“You’re staying around?” Ryan blurted out to Marcus, his heart sinking.

Marcus nodded, smiling. “For the time being. It’s great to be back.”

Ryan didn’t like the way Marcus’ gaze slid towards Colin on the last few words, and his frown deepened. From a great start, the day was plummeting rapidly.

“Well,” Drew said, draining his coffee and getting up, “since you all have a free night, why don’t you take Marcus out to welcome him back properly? We can’t do anything else here.”

Everyone else heartily approved of this plan, and Ryan offered no protest. He simply resigned himself to a few more hours in Marcus’ company, eternally grateful for the numbing power of alcohol.

 

Alcohol and cheerful banter soon banished the apprehensive mood which Marcus’ tale had induced, everyone making the most of an unexpected night off. Ryan noticed, with a great deal of amusement, that a few girls nearby were glancing across at Jeff every so often, clearly hoping to get lucky. Apparently Chip had noticed, too, and he wasted no time in pointing it out to his friend with a grin.

“Hey, Jeff,” Chip said, nudging his elbow. “Tell Ryan and Marcus about the time that girl thought you were an actual angel.”

There was an outburst of snorts and snickers around the table, from those already in the know. Jeff smiled and shrugged.

“She was a big ‘Highway To Heaven’ fan… so I told her I had to go back to the Lord.”

Ryan couldn’t help laughing along with everyone else. He’d forgotten how good it felt.

“That’s not as good as the time that hot female vamp tried to seduce Colin,” Greg smirked. All eyes immediately swivelled towards their leader, who snorted softly at the memory.

“Oh, man,” Chip said, “that was awesome. She couldn’t understand why her powers were completely ineffective.”

“I don’t think she got quite the sort of staking she was after,” Brad snickered, setting everyone off again.

“You guys need new stories,” Colin said, shaking his head as he got up. “And we need more drinks.”

Seeing an opportunity to talk to Colin alone, Ryan opened his mouth to offer his help but Marcus beat him to it. He bit back a growl, glaring at the man’s retreating back. The others launched into another story about a vampiric femme fatale but Ryan was only half listening, his eyes kept drifting back to the bar and the two figures tightly ensconced there.

 

“Give it up, man.”

He found Greg casually studying him over the top of his drink, apparently taking little interest in the inane conversation of his younger team mates.

Ryan plumped for innocent confusion, and frowned. “What?”

“Nice try,” Greg said, his dark eyes glinting. “Are you going to tell me that you’ve been staring at them for the past ten minutes because you’re thirsty?”

“I’m allowed to be curious, aren’t I?” Ryan replied evasively.

“Sure,” Greg shrugged, downing another mouthful. “Just don’t kid yourself that you have a shot.” He glanced towards the two men in question, still deep in conversation across the room, and Ryan felt a wave of intense irritation at his assumption. “Slayers have a powerful connection to each other,” Greg continued. “They’re drawn together, like magnets, and there’s always sparks when they cross paths. Those two are practically a foregone conclusion, dude.”

Ryan’s gaze settled on Colin’s back. He wanted to set Greg straight, but the truth was he couldn’t. He had no idea what Colin was thinking and feeling, and it was aggravating the hell out of him.

“I need a cigarette.”

He pushed his chair back abruptly and stood up, deliberately keeping his eyes averted from the bar as he made his way towards the door. There was a low wall to one side of the main entrance, covered in moss and lichen. Ryan sank down onto it, feeling the damp seep through his pants, and fished a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

The night air was unpleasantly cold in contrast to the bar’s crowded interior, forcing Ryan to zip up his jacket to keep warm. He searched for his lighter, each puff of his breath hanging in the air for a moment before evaporating. Eventually retrieving it, he lit up and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to savor the feeling as the nicotine hit his brain, his addiction momentarily sated.

“Got a spare one of those?”

Ryan’s eyes snapped open again and he looked up at Jeff’s shadowed face. “I didn’t know you smoked,” he remarked, passing one over as Jeff settled on the wall beside him.

Jeff shrugged. “I’m trying to cut down, but my body won’t let me quit.”

“I know the feeling,” Ryan smiled ruefully, offering his lighter.

They sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes, smoke curling away into the night. The earlier clouds had cleared, leaving the sky a sparkling blanket of stars. Ryan could remember gazing up at those same stars as a child, wondering if someone out there somewhere was gazing right back at him. That was when it had been his dream to become an astronaut. Life had been so wonderfully simple then.

“Marcus passed through Cedarcrest four years ago.”

Ryan turned at Jeff’s unexpected pronouncement, and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Greg told me,” Jeff explained carefully, blowing another cloud of smoke skywards. “Apparently, he and Colin were something of an item for a while.”

Ryan shrugged and looked away, idly tapping the ash from his rapidly dwindling cigarette. “It’s not like it’s any of my business.”

“Uh-huh,” Jeff said slowly, clearly skeptical. Ryan could feel his eyes boring into him, but refused to look back. “So you’re okay with this?”

“Sure.” His tone was light, but he knew it was far from convincing. He felt a pat on his shoulder, then a rustle of clothes indicated that Jeff had gotten to his feet.

“If you say so, buddy.”

Hearing Jeff walk away, Ryan turned back, overwhelmed by a sudden urge to punch something hard. Marcus’ face maybe. A mirthless snort escaped at the idea. _Yeah, you’re really fine with this, aren’t you Stiles?_ He got up and threw his cigarette butt down, grinding it under his boot with unnecessary vehemence before heading back inside.

Marcus was entertaining everyone with a tale about three amorous Italian vampires when Ryan rejoined the group, but he’d barely sat down when Colin’s pager went off and the mood changed dramatically.

“Shit.” The curse wasn’t spoken loudly, but it nevertheless got everyone’s attention. “We’ve got a code one,” Colin said, jumping to his feet and grabbing his jacket. Everyone else instantly followed suit.

“Code one?” Marcus questioned, quickly donning his own long coat.

“It’s the emergency code,” Colin explained in a low voice, leading the group towards the exit. “Beta team is under attack.” He stopped outside and turned to face Marcus properly, his face deadly serious. “I think the Baron knows you’re here.”


	12. Chapter 12

The darkened streets echoed with the sound of their footfalls as the seven of them raced to the scene, adrenaline kicking in to clear the fog of alcohol from their heads. Colin had called in to get Beta team’s exact location as soon as they’d left the bar, suggesting that the others head back to the base to get properly armed while he and Marcus headed straight there. But no-one was prepared to let him go in there without proper back-up and there simply wasn’t time to argue. Seeing the stubborn determination on his team’s faces, Colin had reluctantly given in, but he’d warned all of them to stay safe and not try anything foolish. His gaze had rested a fraction of a second longer on Brad and Ryan.

As it happened, Ryan was more prepared than the majority of his team-mates. He always carried an assortment of weapons, something he’d done habitually for years, although he’d never actually needed them. Tonight would most probably change that, but he wasn’t about to repeat his earlier mistake or give Colin any reason to doubt him again.

The distinctive sounds of a skirmish could be heard several streets away, and the team increased their pace in response. The moment they turned into Church Street, bringing the battle into view, it was obvious that Beta team were losing badly. They were easily outnumbered, maybe four to one. However, they were still fighting valiantly against the horde of dark figures, backed up against a crumbling wall of the churchyard. One member of the team was just visible on the ground, surrounded and protected by his team mates. Meanwhile the vampires circled and randomly attacked, toying with them much like a lion with a new-born gazelle.

The few occupied dwellings on this street were in darkness, drapes firmly closed against the night’s evils without so much as a twitch to indicate the need to satisfy curiosity. People stopped being curious in this town a long time ago. As Alpha team closed the distance, keeping to the shadows whilst drawing whatever weapons they had to hand, the vampires began to close in for the kill. Beta team, exhausted but refusing to accept defeat, raised what was left of their arsenal, standing united in the face of almost certain death.

Ryan, now only meters away, heard the lead vampire’s derisive words clearly. “There is no slayer amongst you.” As he spoke, he easily knocked aside a wooden stake like a matchstick. “Pity… this was hardly worth the effort.”

The first vampire to turn and spot the approaching team was silenced before he could utter a sound, and by the time his dusty departure was registered, Colin and Marcus were standing before them, blocking the way, the rest of Alpha team running to the aid of their colleagues.

“You should be careful what you wish for,” Colin said softly, his words nevertheless clearly heard by all. “Now you get two for the price of one.”

For a moment it was as if the scene was frozen in time, the moonlight illuminating the expressions of deadly determination on the opposing sides, but then, snarling, the vampires struck as one. The slayers were the main focus of their attack, but a few targeted the remainder of the teams. Ryan, Greg, Jeff, Chip, and Brad met them head on, diverting their attention from the beleaguered Betas who had nothing left to give.

The vampire who Ryan found himself up against was female, and would have been quite attractive if it weren’t for her sadistic smile and cold, cruel, eyes. She was strong, and very fast, but Ryan, mindful of his training, didn’t allow her to gain an advantage. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead as he ducked and dodged, all of his concentration centred on her every movement, analysing, predicting, and avoiding each strike.

She quickly became frustrated with the fight, which caused her to make the first mistake, and Ryan was instantly there with his stake to end it. Her demise gave him a chance to see how the fight was progressing. Colin and Marcus were just visible in the throng, standing back to back and fending off multiple attacks simultaneously. Intermittent clouds of dust signified a vampire’s demise, while the others seemed to be holding their own as well. However, as Ryan watched, a young vampire, obviously unhappy with the lack of bloodshed, broke off from the main group and headed straight for Jeff’s unprotected back.

Ryan’s yell cut through the chaos. “Jeff! Down!”

Jeff followed the command without question, allowing Ryan to stake the approaching vampire with a perfectly aimed throw. This also served to provide the perfect distraction and Jeff thrust an arm upwards, catching the older vampire he’d been battling unawares. The resulting cloud of dust turned Jeff’s jet-black hair gray.

He turned and grinned at Ryan through the haze. “Thanks, buddy!”

It was around this point that the vampires seemed to realize that they were now very much on the losing side, their numbers dwindling rapidly. A gruff call and the horde beat a hasty retreat, with promises of retribution at a later date, melting silently back into the shadows.

“Tell your master that we won’t let him win this,” Colin shouted into the night, but there was no reply; just the soft sigh of the wind through the trees.

Ryan was relieved to see that Colin was okay, and a quick glance around reassured him that the rest of the team was too. The Betas, however, were in considerably worse shape.

“Colin…”

The raspy call came from the man on the ground, Beta’s leader. He was bleeding heavily, despite his team’s best efforts to stem the flow, creating a slowly spreading darkness on the sidewalk which glistened as it caught the light. Colin was instantly at his side, attempting to soothe him as he assessed the damage. A large chunk of the man’s neck had been torn away, leaving a mangled mess of flesh and muscle. Tendons and ligaments shone white beneath the blood gushing endlessly from the ripped artery. He didn’t have much longer.

“Caught us… by… surprise…”

“It’s okay, Tom,” Colin said, squeezing his ice cold hand. “You did us proud. Rest now.”

Ryan stood silently with the others at a respectful distance, but he could clearly see the torment etched into each of the Beta’s faces as Colin reached up to close the glazed eyes of their leader. He knew, with sickening certainty, that this was just the beginning.

 

It was a somber group that returned to base, carrying the body of their fallen comrade. Despite the danger involved in their job, deaths were not a frequent occurrence by any means so the shock of Tom’s death reverberated through the building as soon as they stepped inside. The harsh light also clearly revealed the toll the night’s events had taken on the survivors. They were all bruised and bloodied, sporting various injuries.

“Get some medics up here now!” Drew shouted, hurrying over. His gaze lingered sadly on Tom’s body as it was lowered reverently to the floor, before moving up to Colin’s weary face. “Was it the Baron?”

Marcus stepped forward to answer. Ryan noticed that he was the only one who seemed completely unscathed by the battle, and unaffected by the death. “He wasn’t among the attackers, but I have no doubt that he sent them.”

One of the Betas, a man in his late twenties with a military style hair cut and harsh features, interrupted gruffly, supporting what looked like a broken arm. “They thought we were Alpha Team. That’s why they attacked.”

An uncomfortable silence followed this statement, broken only by the arrival of the base’s medical team. Tom’s body was transferred to a stretcher, while his team were led away to be assessed and treated. The Alphas made their way to back to their room and collapsed into chairs, uncharacteristically subdued. Ryan was willing to bet that they were all thinking the same as him. It should have been us.

Colin had taken the chair next to him, his expression heavy. Ryan could see the weight of guilt on his slumped shoulders and knew without a doubt that he was blaming himself for Tom’s death, but he couldn’t think of anything to say which wouldn’t sound like hollow placation. Glancing down, his eye caught a dark red patch on Colin’s ripped pants.

“You’re bleeding,” he frowned, automatically reaching out to gently examine the injury.

Colin followed Ryan’s gaze and, shaking his head, waved away his concern with a tired smile. “It’s just a scratch.”

It was the first time they’d talked directly since Colin had left his apartment but, before Ryan could say any more, Drew entered the room.

“Looks like the rest of the Betas are going to be okay,” he said to no-one in particular. The only response he got was a few nods. “There’s nothing more you can do tonight, guys. Go home. The reports can wait. Marcus,” he turned to address the other slayer directly, “if you need somewhere to stay, we have room here.”

Marcus’ eyes flitted to Colin for an instant. “That’s okay, Drew,” he smiled. “Colin’s already said I can crash at his place.”

The bottom fell out of Ryan’s stomach. So, that was it. Colin and Marcus were picking up where they’d left off. He could feel Jeff’s eyes on him, but kept his own carefully neutral. He had no wish to be pitied.

The team broke up soon after that. Everyone was exhausted, emotionally drained, and needed to sleep, or at least attempt to. Ryan politely refused Jeff’s offer of company, opting to walk home alone, while Marcus took his place on the back of Colin’s motorbike. Ryan continued to feign indifference.

He reached his building as the first tinge of light came into the Eastern sky, the stars slowly dimming, and made it to the safety of his apartment without meeting anyone else. Shrugging off his jacket, he trudged into the kitchen for his normal early morning dose of caffeine and then sank wearily down onto the sofa, memories of the previous morning floating, unbidden, to the front of his mind.

Even though it had only been hours, the time he’d spent there with Colin felt like another lifetime. If it wasn’t for Colin’s mug still sitting on the drainer, and the blanket left on the couch beside him, he might not have believed it had happened at all. The arrival of Marcus, news of the Baron, then the attack, and Tom’s death… in a single night, everything had changed.


	13. Chapter 13

There was a somber atmosphere within the base in the following days. Everyone was still reeling from losing one of their own. Tom’s death had certainly brought home the reality of this new threat--the alert level had been raised in response, and additional manpower was on standby in neighboring bases. The other teams were pulled back closer to town in order to provide fast back-up for the Alphas, who patrolled the streets tirelessly, searching for the slightest thing out of place. But the town had reverted back to its former, eerily quiet, state and it was almost as if the fierce battle a few nights previously had never taken place.

While the other Alphas remained downcast but resolved, Ryan’s mood continued to steadily darken for another reason entirely. It seemed that everywhere he turned, Marcus was there. The smooth talking slayer managed to insert himself into every conversation, every team meeting, and almost never left Colin’s side. Worse, no-one else appeared to share Ryan’s increasingly dim view of him. Brad didn’t have a problem with him--obviously his resentment of newcomers didn’t extend to other slayers--and even Jeff had been won over, although Ryan knew that this was vastly affected by the realization that Marcus didn’t have Greg in his sights. Consequently, as the days passed, Ryan gradually became more withdrawn and irritable, feeling very much like the outsider in the team once again. 

“Let it go, man,” Greg told him after another evening’s patrol spent mostly in brooding silence. The room was deserted except for the two of them, everyone else having left a few minutes ago. They had been the last to return to the base - cold, wet, and with nothing significant to report. “You don’t like Marcus,” Greg continued casually, discarding his wet coat in favor of a dry one. “I get it. But it looks like he’s going to be staying around for a while, so deal with it.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Greg,” Ryan shot back gruffly, slamming his locker closed with unnecessary force. His hand left a sizable dent in the metal door. “Why don’t you sort your own life out before you start dishing out advice for mine? Or are you still too blind even _with_ those glasses?”

Feeling a vindictive pleasure in Greg’s dumbfounded expression, Ryan pushed past roughly and headed for the door. Fuck coffee. He needed a real drink.

 

Tom’s memorial service took place on the following Saturday, a week after the bloody battle which had claimed his life. The churchyard was filled with mourners, gathered under a steely gray sky to pay their final respects. Ryan, dressed in the only black suit he owned, stood a little way back, behind the other Alphas. While most of them had greeted him when he’d arrived, Greg had merely spared him a brief backwards glance. Marcus stood, as always, beside Colin in front. His long black hair had been tamed slightly for the occasion and tied back, but it didn’t make him look any less mysterious or beguiling. He was drawing many curious looks from the town’s other inhabitants.

The team hadn’t been told to come, but it only seemed right to attend and, looking around, Ryan saw many other familiar faces in the crowd. The truth about Tom’s death was, of course, not generally known. It had been put down to a terrible accident at the factory where he worked nights. People in this town would believe anything except the truth.

A blast of icy wind picked up an assortment of decaying autumn leaves and scattered them, drowning out the minister’s last sombre words. A tearful, petite, woman, who Ryan assumed to be Tom’s wife, stepped forward, bending down to gather a handful of soil before slowly letting it fall from her fingers onto the coffin. Her hand was shaking. She was supported on either side by other family members and friends, fighting tears themselves. Beta team were close by, standing shoulder to shoulder in silent, sorrowful, unity. 

The scene sparked memories of his brother’s funeral so many years ago, on a dreary day much like this one. Ryan had felt almost invisible among the outpouring of grief, guilt weighing heavily on his young shoulders as he watched his parents break down at the graveside. It should have been him instead. Now, standing not far from where he’d stood as a pale twelve year old boy, Ryan had a sudden vision of his own funeral. Few friends, fewer family, no special loved one to tearfully say goodbye. Lonely even in death. He drew his coat around him, as if warding off the thought, but his heart felt that little bit heavier.

When the service concluded, the crowd around the grave slowly thinned and moved away. Colin broke away from the rest of the Alphas and approached Tom’s wife, who was still standing with her head bowed. Marcus made a move to follow, but then apparently thought better of it. Ryan smirked inwardly. _You can’t charm your way through this one, Marcus._

The team silently watched as Colin spoke softly to her for a few moments, no doubt offering words of condolence for her loss. She raised her tear-stained face to respond, placing a small, pale, hand over his. Observing the exchange, Ryan realized that she knew the truth. Her gentle touch was an act of both reassurance and comfort. She didn’t blame them. 

Drew walked over to her shortly after and, with a final nod, Colin took his leave.

“It’s always hardest on those you leave behind,” Marcus murmured as Colin returned to where the team stood waiting patiently.

“The Angels will take care of her,” Colin replied, looking back over his shoulder. “They’ll give her a new life, away from here, if she wants it.”

A steady rain had now begun to fall, prompting the opening of several black umbrellas. Colin looked up at the mass of dark clouds and let out a deep breath, looking drained. “Go on home, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow for training.”

There was a low chorus of replies and then the group slowly dispersed, huddled under umbrellas, while Colin and Marcus headed over to Drew. 

Ryan didn’t use his own umbrella, content to let the rain gradually soak through his clothing as he walked through the gates and onto the sidewalk. He found that he was oddly comforted by it. Hardly anyone was in sight now, all having scurried to find shelter from the downpour, so the streets were his own. He actually preferred it that way.

The rain increased, as if trying to break his resolve, but he didn’t care. There was nothing quite so freeing as surrendering yourself completely to the elements. He barely noticed the sound of an engine until a familiar bike pulled alongside him but he kept on walking, not bothering to avoid the large puddles already forming in his path.

“Hey, Ryan!”

Pausing reluctantly, Ryan glanced back. Colin was sitting astride his bike, his hastily removed helmet grasped in both hands. Marcus was nowhere in sight.

“You need a lift?”

Now that his chance was staring him in the face, Ryan found that he couldn’t take it. Pride, anger, and resentment were firmly in control now. He wasn’t going to play second fiddle.

“No thanks.”

Colin looked surprised, and a little confused, at his answer. “Oh. I thought maybe we could grab some coffee or something.”

Ryan’s expression remained impassive. “I prefer to walk.” Turning away again, he added, “And my coffee machine’s broken.”

He resumed walking, knowing that Colin was staring after him but determined not to look back. Instead, he listened. Listened intently through the sound of his own footsteps. Five paces… ten paces… his brain screaming at him to turn back with each step but stubborn pride forcing him onwards. Then, just before he turned the corner, he heard it. The engine roared to life once more and then slowly faded away in the opposite direction. 

Ryan continued walking for another block before slowing to a stop, abruptly punching the crumbling wall next to him. A blinding, yet strangely satisfying pain exploded in his hand as a few more bricks became dislodged. Straightening up, he carried on down the street. The trail of red he left behind was quickly washed away by the rain.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't able to post on Monday so posting has changed to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday this week. Should be back to normal next week.

The rain didn’t ease as the light faded. Colin sat staring out at it through the large bay window of his living room, but his mind was elsewhere. The mug of coffee beside him lay untouched and almost cold. His head couldn’t stop replaying his encounter with Ryan on the street, over and over again, trying to figure out exactly what he’d done wrong.

He’d noticed, as had the rest of the team, that Ryan had been out of sorts recently--that wasn’t unusual at the moment with Tom’s death still at the forefront of everyone’s minds--but there had been a cold hostility in his voice earlier. Something which Colin couldn’t account for. Sure, they’d had a rocky start when Ryan had joined the Alphas, but Colin had thought they’d moved past that. During the time they’d spent together over the last month or so, he’d seen through the tough exterior to the man underneath and found a kindred spirit. There was an inexplicably strong connection between them, much like two old friends reuniting, and he was sure that Ryan had felt the same.

But now it seemed that they were back to square one. Ryan had shut him out again. And Colin was taken aback by just how much it was bothering him.

“Colin? Are you even listening?”

His head snapped away from the window, jerking awake Nos and Ratu who were curled up on his chest. Marcus was sitting in an armchair across the room, frowning in his direction, although no anger was evident in the question… just mild curiosity. Colin realized, rather guiltily, that he hadn’t processed a single word of the conversation since Marcus had returned half an hour ago. He scrubbed a hand over his face before letting it flop back down onto the couch.

“Sorry, it’s been a long day. What were you saying?”

Waving a hand dismissively, Marcus flashed him a smile. “Nothing important.” He stood up and crossed the room in three strides, perching on the couch beside Colin. His blue eyes projected both sympathy and concern. “You want to talk about it?”

“No,” Colin sighed, stroking a hand down Nos while reaching for his coffee with the other. One look at it told him that it was now undrinkable, and he quickly cast it aside. “I just want to forget everything for a while.” He rested his head back against the cushions and closed his eyes, but opened them again a moment later when he felt warm fingers gently run down his cheek. Marcus had shifted closer, his body pressed against Colin’s side.

“Can I do anything to help?”

A small smile lifted Colin’s troubled expression. “Not unless you want to hit me over the head with something heavy.”

Marcus closed the gap further, a glint in his eyes. “There are better ways to make you forget.”

Warm lips met Colin’s and he responded automatically, his eyes slipping closed as Marcus cupped his face. But, the moment the kiss deepened, something made Colin hesitate and pull back. It just didn’t feel right. Marcus was looking down at him questioningly and caressing his cheek, but the touch didn’t reassure him. Somehow it only emphasized the wrongness. Shifting away from it, Colin moved to sit on the edge of the couch, not wanting to analyse what has just happened too closely. He let out a deep breath before looking back at Marcus to find the deep blue eyes studying him intently. Reaching out, Colin took his hand and squeezed it.

“Thanks for trying to help, Marc. I just… I need to go to bed. Alone!” he added with a smirk when Marcus’ eyes sparked mischievously.

“Okay, okay, message received,” Marcus grinned, holding his hands up. “In that case, I might head out to patrol for a while. I can’t sleep at night anymore.” His expression turned concerned once more. “Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Colin smiled, squeezing his hand again before releasing it. Gathering the rats up, he stood to put them back in their cage. “Just be careful out there.”

“Yes, boss.” Marcus saluted cheekily, getting up as well. As they headed for the door, he added, “I’ll crawl into your bed later, just to let you know I’m back safe and sound.”

Colin snorted and shoved him out of the room.

 

Sunday dawned a little brighter than the previous day, the rain having finally cleared sometime during the night. Colin yawned around his mug of coffee, thankfully hot this time, and idly perused the local paper. It had become a habit on his days off, but today his eyes were staring through the words rather than reading them.

He was used to not sleeping well--it went with the job--but last night he’d been particularly restless, unable to keep his mind from running ceaselessly over the current situation and a certain member of his team. Consequently, the shadows under his eyes were now a shade darker and his head was throbbing. He was hoping caffeine would improve the latter at least.

“You look like hell!”

Wincing, Colin looked up at the cheerful face of his friend, marveling at Marcus’ ability to look impeccable despite having been up half the night vampire hunting. “Thanks. I’m practicing blending in with the enemy.”

Laughing, Marcus poured himself a coffee and slid a fresh on over to Colin who accepted it with a grateful smile.

“So, did you come across anything interesting last night?”

“No, not a damn thing,” Marcus replied in the same cheerful tone, settling himself at the other side of the kitchen table. “Although I did scare the life out of one of the new Deltas,” he added, with obvious amusement. “He only looked about twelve.”

Colin suppressed a grin, shaking his head. “He’s actually eighteen, and we need all the help we can get at the moment.”

Marcus grabbed an apple and took a large bite out of it. “I guess so.”

Pushing his paper away, Colin leaned back and picked up his mug. “Are you coming to the Alpha training session later?”

“Sure--oh, no, wait… I can’t. I’ve got a meeting with Drew.”

Colin frowned and swallowed his mouthful. “This afternoon? What about?”

Shrugging, Marcus took another bite. “Search me.”

Still frowning, Colin looked down into the last dregs of his coffee. It was strange for Drew to schedule a meeting without telling him, and he really could have done with Marcus’ help with training too. Sighing, he drained his mug. The day was rapidly going downhill already.

 

Colin stepped into the base at five to two, nodding politely to those he passed. There were a lot more people around than normal, now that the alert level was at amber, and Colin sensed an air of gritty determination in the constant flurry of activity. It was personal now, and the Angels were not going to accept defeat. The scene served to raise his spirit as he passed through on his way to the training room, opening the door to an interesting sight to say the least. Brad had Chip on the floor and was sitting on him, while the others stood watching in amusement.

“Hey, Col!” Brad grinned in greeting. “We’ve been practicing.”

“I’m pretty sure that sitting on vampires isn’t going to kill them, Brad,” Chip ground out, his teeth clenched in clear discomfort. “Although you do weigh a tonne.”

“Okay, Brad,” Colin chuckled, walking inside, “you can get off him now.”

Chip gasped air into his lungs as Brad complied, weakly punching him in belated protest. Shrugging off his long coat and throwing it aside,  
Colin turned back to the group and paused, looking around.

“Where’s Ryan?”

There were several shrugs in response.

“Maybe he overslept,” Jeff suggested.

“It’s two o’clock in the afternoon, dude,” Greg said, turning to look at Jeff incredulously. “That’s not over-sleeping, it’s hibernation.” There was a smattering of sniggers, but Colin wasn’t amused. He was willing to bet that Ryan’s absence wasn’t a simple mistake.

“Well, I’m not waiting,” he said firmly, pushing aside renewed worry. “We’ll be continuing hand to hand combat today, as well as perfecting your aim, which means this.” He pulled a stake out of his pocket, spun on one foot, and threw it at a vampire dummy positioned at the far end of the room. It hit right where the heart would be, lodging itself deep within the stuffing.

“Awesome,” Brad grinned. “Can I have a go?”

With a lot of trial and error, including Brad accidentally throwing his stake backwards on one occasion and narrowly missing Jeff, they were all eventually hitting the target every time. Colin stood back, advising and praising them on their efforts, but he couldn’t stop wondering about his missing team member. Then, an hour into the session, as they resumed physical defense and attack moves, the door opened and Ryan appeared.

“You’re late,” Colin called sternly.

He expected an explanation, or at the very least an excuse, but got neither. Ryan, looking thoroughly unrepentant, simply muttered, “Sorry,” and went to join Jeff. Reining in a swell of anger, Colin continued with the training.

 

The clock moved inexorably towards four o’clock, and Colin brought the session to an end. Generally, he was very pleased with everyone’s progress. Even Ryan had thrown himself into it, maybe to make up for being late, but Colin noticed that he was favoring his right hand for some reason, which made it that bit easier for his partner to bring him down.

“Ryan!” Colin called loudly, noticing him attempting to make a hasty exit as everyone gathered their things. “Wait there.”

“He’s in for it now,” Brad muttered on his way out, a little too gleefully for Colin’s liking. Jeff and Greg followed him, glancing back curiously before the door shut. Chip was tying his shoes, although Colin had a sneaking suspicion he wanted to eavesdrop so waited patiently.

“No Marcus today, huh?” Chip remarked, glancing up before swapping feet.

“He had a meeting,” Colin replied vaguely, his eyes drifting over to where Ryan had slumped back against the wall.

“Oh, right.” He paused. “You two seem very close.”

Colin looked back down at Chip and shrugged. “We’re just catching up… you know, sharing stories.”

“I bet that’s not all you’re sharing,” Ryan said moodily under his breath. Unfortunately he didn’t count on Colin’s exceptional sense of hearing.

“Excuse me?” Colin asked, his voice low and deadly. Chip hastily finished tying his shoes, said his goodbyes, and hurried to the door, leaving the other two men facing off against each other.

As the door closed again Ryan pushed off from the wall, clearly on the point of saying something more, but stopped himself and turned away. “Never mind. I need to get home.”

“No,” Colin said forcefully, closing the gap. “I want to know what the hell’s wrong with you. You’ve been acting like an asshole all week.”

“It doesn’t matter, okay?” Ryan shot back, still heading for the door. Colin’s patience finally wore out.

“Tell me, dammit!”

He grabbed hold of Ryan’s arm and spun him around, but Ryan immediately fought to free himself and a struggle ensued, neither man willing to give in. It wasn’t a training session anymore. It was a proper fight. Colin didn’t want to hurt Ryan, but he certainly wasn’t making it easy. Finally, Colin simply took out Ryan’s legs and pinned him firmly to the ground with his own body, holding Ryan’s arms above his head.

Breathing hard he stared down at the man beneath him. There was hot anger and defiance in Ryan’s eyes but, as he stared into the emerald depths, the intense look that he’d seen before, in this very room in fact, returned in full force. And this time Colin found that he knew exactly what it meant.

Without so much as a word, his mind suddenly clearer than it had been in days, Colin closed the gap and kissed him.

He felt Ryan’s muscles tense beneath his fingers and half expected a renewed struggle, but none came. Instead Ryan opened up to him with a small whimper and Colin relaxed his grip in response, caught up in the kiss and the emotions it was releasing. He was dimly aware of Ryan wrapping his now free arms around him tightly, as if afraid it would end too soon, but Colin had no intention of running from this. It felt _right_.

Eventually they had to part, breathing hard for a different reason this time, and Colin could see that Ryan’s eyes were once again vibrant. Smiling, he pecked Ryan’s lips again.

“Do you want that ride home now?”

Ryan smiled back sheepishly, tightening his arms in silent apology. “Yeah. That sounds good.”


	15. Chapter 15

Ryan couldn’t quite believe what had just happened, his heart still thumping painfully fast in his chest. He’d been angrier than he could ever remember, ready to lash out regardless of the consequences, but Colin had done the last thing he’d ever have expected and his anger had simply melted away when their lips had collided. Now, walking through the base together on their way out, he’d have thought it a dream if it weren’t for the taste of Colin’s sweetness that lingered on his tongue. He was having great difficulty controlling the urge to push Colin against the wall and kiss him again.

Colin glanced sideways at him and smiled, as if reading his thoughts, his hand brushing lightly against Ryan’s. Ryan’s heart did an odd sort of flip in response. No, this was surely too good to be real. When he’d awoken that morning, an empty whisky bottle tumbling from his fingers, he’d seen nothing but darkness ahead. He’d fallen deep into a chasm that he didn’t think he’d ever find his way out of. But, in a single glorious moment, the walls closing in around him had crumbled away.

“Hey, Colin! Wait up!”

Ryan’s heart sank slightly as they paused for Drew to catch up with them, followed by Marcus whose gaze immediately settled on Colin.

Ryan suppressed a sigh and looked longingly at the door. Only five more steps and they would have been free.

“We just thought you should know that, as of today, Marcus is the new leader of Beta team,” Drew grinned, slapping Marcus on the back.

While Colin looked genuinely surprised, Ryan tried his best not to whoop and punch the air victoriously.

“Wow,” Colin replied, smiling at Marcus. “Congratulations. The Betas are lucky to have you.”

Drew looked at his watch and grimaced. “I’ve gotta go. First shift tonight, Marcus.”

“I’ll be there!” Marcus called after him before turning back to Colin and lowering his voice. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Colin grinned and shoved his shoulder. “Of course not. I can’t say it hasn’t been nice to have you with us on the team, but the Betas need you more. Just… be gentle with them, okay?”

Marcus nodded once. “Not to fear, I shall be my normal charming self.”

“Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of,” Colin smirked.

Ryan stared at a spot on the wall. He was beginning to feel invisible again, tendrils of resentment re-emerging in his gut, but the mention of his name caught his attention.

“Listen, Ryan and I were just on our way out so I’ll catch up with you later okay?”

Marcus’ piercing gaze moved to Ryan for the first time. “Oh. Yeah, sure. Later.”

Ryan could feel Marcus’ eyes following them as they walked out and the main door slid shut, and hid a smile of smug satisfaction.

Sliding onto the bike behind Colin was an even greater thrill this time, knowing that he could press as close as he wanted without feeling awkward. Colin certainly didn’t complain about the arms wrapped snugly around his body as they flew through the streets. The sun had even come out for them as it sank beneath the cloud bank towards the horizon.

Ryan was content just to enjoy the ride. He only realized that they weren’t heading for his apartment when Colin pulled up outside a diner on the other side of town. Ryan pulled his helmet off, frowning. Colin took it from him with a smile.

“I thought we could both do with some proper coffee. Besides, this place does pancakes to die for.”

Ryan grinned and hopped off the bike. “I never could resist pancakes.”

 

They managed to grab a table by the window, lit by the golden rays of the setting sun. Once the waitress had taken their order, Colin leant forward, rested his chin on his clasped hands, and studied Ryan silently. Ryan was surprised to find that he didn’t mind the scrutiny, although he was preparing himself for the inevitable path that the conversation would take.

“So, why you were late for training?”

There it was. The question was asked softly, gently, but it didn’t make it any easier to answer. He couldn’t quite meet Colin’s gaze as he blew out a deep breath.

“I drank too much last night and passed out. Woke up at quarter past two this afternoon with a raging headache.”

Colin let his arms drop onto the table with a quiet sigh. “Your night sounds about as good as mine.”

Ryan’s eyes slid back up to Colin’s weary face and, without thinking about it, he reached across the table to cover his hand. “I’m sorry… about yesterday. I was an idiot.”

Colin glanced up, smiling slightly. “Your coffee machine isn’t broken?”

“Oh, it is,” Ryan replied grimly, thinking back to the wreckage that sat abandoned on his counter.

The amusement faded from Colin’s face. “I haven’t been there for you, Ry. I’m sorry, too.”

Ryan’s soft smile turned into a wince as Colin squeezed his injured hand, something which the other man quickly noticed. Colin turned it over to inspect the damage, tracing his fingers lightly over the cuts and scrapes.

“How…?”

“I punched a wall,” Ryan replied matter-of-factly.

Colin looked up, quirking an eyebrow. “What exactly did the wall do?”

Ryan didn’t smile. He pulled his hand away and looked down at it, flexing his injured fingers. He had to ask a question before he risked his heart further.

“You and Marcus… are you—“

“We’re friends,” Colin cut in firmly.

“That’s all?” Ryan pressed. He needed to know for sure.

Colin met his gaze steadily and nodded. “We used to be more, a long time ago, but it was never serious.” He paused as the waitress returned with their coffees, setting them down before bustling off again. Blowing the steam off his cup, Colin continued, “Marcus doesn’t do relationships; they scare him. I don’t think he likes the idea of tying himself to one person, especially given our profession.”

Ryan leant forward, cradling his cup. “And you?”

Inclining his head, Colin turned to watch the deepening colors of the sky outside. His eyes filled with the sun’s dying light. “I may not live long enough to grow old with someone, but I’m not going to waste the remainder of my life on meaningless flings. I want more than that.”

“That makes two of us.”

Colin’s smile rivaled the beauty of the sunset as he turned back. “That’s good to know.”

 

It was completely dark by the time Colin pulled up at Ryan’s apartment building, the streets hushed and empty.

“You want to come up?” Ryan asked, passing his helmet back to Colin who had just removed his own to speak unimpeded.

“No, I’d better get home.”

Ryan couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed but, before he could take so much as a step, Colin reached out to grab the front of his coat and pulled him close. Smiling, Ryan dipped his head to meet Colin’s cool lips and felt a hand slide into his hair to hold him there. It caused goose bumps to prickle across his body. They stayed like that for several minutes, simply enjoying each other and staving off the cold. Ryan would have stayed there all night but Colin finally pulled back a little, caressing his face, his quick breaths puffing warmth across Ryan’s wet lips.

“Let’s just take this slow, okay? And, for now, we should keep it between ourselves.”

Ryan nodded. He was all too aware of the possible consequences for the team if it ended badly. In fact, he wasn’t entirely sure if a relationship would be approved of or even allowed by the men in suits. He pushed that thought away. Nothing was going to ruin today.

Pressing a final quick kiss to Ryan’s lips, Colin replaced his helmet and kicked the bike to life again. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow night… and try not to be late this time.”

Ryan grinned and stepped back onto the sidewalk. “I’ll be there.”

He kept his eyes on the bike until it disappeared around the corner, and then turned to head inside. For a second he saw someone looking out of the ground floor window at him before the curtains abruptly fell back into place, and he smirked. He’d have to give Mrs Harper an even better show next time.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little late again - RL stuff. Will post the next tomorrow as planned. :)

After a major clean-up operation of his neglected apartment which went on into the early hours--he was still on a high, after all--Ryan collapsed into bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. When he blearily opened his eyes next and turned to glance at his bedside clock, he had to blink several times to make sure his brain had correctly processed the information. It was almost four in the afternoon. Well, he couldn’t deny that his body had needed to recuperate.

Stretching lethargically in the cosy warmth of his bed, he stared up at his ceiling thoughtfully. His eyes tracked the patterns of sunlight flashing across it from the window as he replayed memories of the previous evening, a smile emerging. He could almost feel Colin’s body pressed against him again, and his morning--or rather, afternoon--erection twitched in obvious approval.

He resisted the urge to let his hand wander lower, though, instead throwing back the covers and sitting up. He looked at the clock again. Enough time to get something to eat, shower, and dress before he had to leave for his shift… a little earlier than usual maybe. This decided, he pushed off from the bed and padded into the kitchen, his eyes falling on the sad heap of metal and exposed wires which he still hadn’t thrown in the trash. Sighing, he walked past it and grabbed a jar from the cupboard. It would have to be instant coffee for a while.

 

Despite Ryan’s early arrival at the base, most of the team were already there. He stepped into the room, automatically searching for Colin, and spotted him standing across the room talking to Greg. Trying not to look too happy, which would only arouse suspicions, Ryan walked over to join Jeff, who was changing into his slayer gear.

“You look happier,” Jeff remarked, fastening the clasp on his belt.

 _Damn it._

Ryan shrugged, attempting nonchalance as he opened his dented locker. “It’s a better day.”

“I bet,” Jeff grinned. “You got what you wanted.”

A flash of panic made Ryan’s brain freeze and his heart go into overdrive. His response came out a little croakier than he intended. “Huh?”

Luckily Jeff didn’t seem to notice that anything was amiss. “Marcus getting transferred to Beta team.”

Silently letting out a breath of relief, Ryan flashed a grin back at Jeff. “Oh, yeah. It’s great news.”

Jeff reached over to thump his arm playfully. “You never know, maybe you’ll get lucky now.”

“Maybe,” Ryan murmured, looking across at the man in question.

At that moment, Colin’s gaze swept the room. The dark eyes only rested on Ryan for a fraction of a second, but it was enough. Ryan hid his answering smile by rummaging through the jumble of things in his locker while Jeff continued to chat away next to him. He hoped that Jeff didn’t require his participation in the conversation, having completely lost the thread of it. He settled for nodding vaguely in encouragement.

Within the space of ten minutes, everyone had arrived and geared up. Brad looked surprised and maybe even a little disappointed to see Ryan there after the previous day’s events, but passed him without comment.

“Okay, guys,” Colin called loudly. The chatter died away as the group gathered around him. “Marcus tells me there’s been no activity over the weekend, but we still need to stay alert at all times. There’s no telling when the next attack will come. If you come across anything unusual, radio me immediately. Do not investigate by yourselves.” His serious expression was mirrored on the faces of his team as they nodded. “Right. Jeff, you’re with Chip tonight, Brad’s with me, and Ryan, you’re with Greg.”

Heart sinking, Ryan stole a glance at Greg. He had an inkling that Colin knew of their argument and was giving them the chance to sort it out. When he looked back, Colin’s eyes were still trained on him meaningfully. Sighing, he nodded in silent agreement. Colin seemed satisfied and started to move. 

“Let’s go.”

 

The temperature outside had plummeted with the sun’s departure, and the darkness had rolled in quickly. Ryan fished his gloves from his coat as he and Greg headed east towards the river, his fingers already beginning to go numb with cold. They had been walking in an uneasy silence for ten minutes or so when Ryan decided to just take the proverbial bull by the horns. He reached out to halt the other man in his tracks, receiving a cautious but curious look in return.

“Look, Greg, I’m sorry about what happened last week. I shouldn’t have laid into you like that.”

Greg obviously wasn’t expecting an apology, his eyebrows lifting in surprise, but he merely shrugged it off. “Hey, I was gate-crashing your party. None of my business, man.”

Ryan shook his head grimly. “I was an asshole.”

“That’s true,” Greg agreed, his brown eyes twinkling as he removed a packet of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. “You want one?”

A deep chuckle rumbled from Ryan’s chest at Greg’s customary directness. “Sure.” He plucked the proffered cigarette out and placed it between his lips, cupping his hands to protect it from the icy wind as he leaned towards Greg’s lighter. Once lit, they started walking again.

“I have to say,” Greg continued after a moment, stashing his lighter and half-empty packet back in his pocket with one hand. He removed the lit cigarette from his mouth with the other, his next words uttered in a steady trail of smoke, “I’m curious about what you said.” When Ryan gave him a blank sideways glance, Greg smiled wryly. “Something about me being blind?”

Ryan’s confused expression instantly cleared. “Oh.” He looked away, feeling awkward again and a little guilty. He never should have said anything. “It’s really not my place to say.”

Greg snorted. “Uh-huh. And I suppose I can’t ask whose place it would be?”

Ryan exhaled deeply, blowing a cloud of smoke skyward, his mouth twisting regretfully. “Sorry.”

A sudden screech echoed down an alley to their right, making them both whip around, but it was nothing more than a couple of strays fighting it out over a few meager scraps of food from a fallen trash can. Ryan loosened his tight grip on his stake, checking the alley once more before returning to his cigarette.

“You know, this damn quiet is almost worse than an all-out battle.”

Greg tossed his cigarette butt down and extinguished it with his boot. “It’s building up to something big, that’s for sure. Let’s hope we’re ready for it.”

 

The short-lived feline brawl in the alley turned out to be the only action Ryan and Greg saw that night. They returned to base as dawn broke, tired, cold, and frustrated.

“All quiet on the Eastern front, I take it,” Jeff said as they both collapsed into chairs.

“I’ve seen more action in an old folk’s home,” Greg sighed, reaching for the fresh pot of coffee in the centre of the table.

Jeff wrinkled his nose distastefully. “Thanks for the image, Greg.”

“Hey, your mind went there on its own, kitten.”

Ryan tuned their banter out, his eyes drifting over to where Colin was poring over the nightly paperwork. Chip and Brad were next to him, apparently trying to outdo each other in some kind of strange hand to hand combat involving only their index fingers.

“Did anyone else have more luck tonight?” Ryan asked, addressing no-one in particular.

Jeff turned away from Greg, still grinning broadly from their playful exchange. “Nope. It was dead out there… and not even the sort of dead you can kill.”

Greg snorted loudly and stretched, looking over Brad’s head at Colin. “You done yet, Col?”

Colin’s left hand was still scribbling away while he rested his head on the other, propped up by his elbow. He didn’t look up. “Almost. It takes a surprisingly long time to report absolutely nothing.” He paused, shuffling through the stack of papers before glancing up at the others. “You can go on without me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

There was a chorus of grateful murmurs as everyone got up. Ryan moved sluggishly towards his locker to change, looking forward to finally being alone with Colin again. Unfortunately the others didn’t seem to be in any rush, and Ryan was forced to fall back on his procrastination skills while willing them to hurry up and go.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, the door closed behind Chip and Brad, leaving only Colin and himself. Ryan immediately straightened up with a small wince as his back protested at being bent for so long.

“Thank God for that. I’m not sure how many more times I could have convincingly re-tied my shoelaces.”

Colin, in the process of zipping up his leather jacket, glanced over and laughed. “Maybe a couple more.”

Grinning, Ryan walked over to him. “Hi,” he murmured, leaning in.

“Hi,” Colin smiled, curling his fingers around Ryan’s lapel.

Their lips met halfway, softly but eagerly, reacquainting themselves for a few brief moments before a noise outside caused them to quickly pull apart and look towards the door warily. When it became clear that no-one was going to enter the room, they both simultaneously broke into laughter at the absurdity of their reaction.

“Come on,” Colin said, grabbing his keys. “Let’s get out of here.”


	17. Chapter 17

Over the next few days, Ryan was able to snatch a few hours with Colin but it wasn’t nearly enough. He found himself craving Colin’s company more and more, and the time they _did_ manage to spend together seemed to fly past in a dream-like blur. While he understood the need to take things slowly and discretely, for him it was like a new form of torture. Knowing that Colin went home to Marcus every night made it burn that much more--he had no doubt of Marcus’ intentions towards his fellow slayer.

October arrived that Saturday, bringing with it high winds and torrential rain. Ryan watched Mother Nature’s onslaught from his apartment window, thankful for the fact that it was his day off and he wouldn’t have to contend with the elements that night. He felt a gleeful satisfaction at the thought of Marcus having to deal with it instead.

The trees that lined Ryan’s street were swaying ominously, leaves and branches ripped from them with a savage force, and the rain was pummeling a relentless steady beat against his window. Continuing to survey the scene, he brought his cup of coffee up to his lips but paused before it made contact. A familiar motorbike had just come into view through the curtain of rain. Grinning, Ryan put his cup down and headed over to buzz his visitor in.

Since it was their first proper day off together, and Marcus had to cover Cedarcrest with Beta team, Colin had invited Ryan over for dinner at his place that evening. They’d arranged to meet at Ryan’s around mid-afternoon and, as that could mean anytime within the space of a few hours, Ryan had been stationed by the window for the last forty five minutes at least.

He opened his apartment door in readiness, unconsciously running a hand through his hair and tugging his shirt straight. A minute later Colin appeared, leaving a trail of water in his wake. A smile tugged at the corners of Ryan’s mouth as he approached.

“You made it here in one piece, then?”

“Just about,” Colin grinned. “I had to deal with an asshole SUV driver on the way, though.”

Ryan stood back to let Colin into his apartment, smirking. “Is he still alive?”

Colin let out a snort. “Yes! I don’t generally kill civilians. I may maim them occasionally…”

Laughing, Ryan closed the door and immediately moved to pull Colin into a kiss.

“You’ll get wet,” Colin warned, his eyes bright with mirth.

Ryan plucked the dripping helmet from Colin’s hands and set it aside. “I don’t care.”

He met Colin’s lips firmly. They were cold from the ride, slightly chapped, but his mouth was warm and inviting. Ignoring the wet slowly seeping through his shirt from Colin’s jacket, Ryan pressed even closer. He was pleased to hear Colin respond with a soft moan. When they had to resurface for air a few minutes later, Ryan’s pants were uncomfortably tight in a particular area.

“Now that’s what I call a proper hello,” Colin smiled, running a hand across Ryan’s now damp shirt. His expression turned thoughtful as his tongue wandered across his lips. “You’ve been drinking coffee. Have you bought a new machine?”

Ryan gave a small chuckle. “Slayer and detective rolled into one, huh?”

“I’m multi-talented.”

Remembering his unfinished cup, Ryan went to retrieve it. “I _have_ been drinking coffee, but it’s instant I’m afraid.” He took an experimental sip and immediately grimaced. The coffee had cooled to lukewarm. It was only barely drinkable when it was hot. “You want one?”

“Sure. That expression sold it to me,” Colin smirked.

“A fresh one,” Ryan laughed, heading towards the kitchen. Colin took his jacket off, and then followed.

“Oh dear,” he said, upon entering the room and seeing the trashed coffee machine. “What happened?”

Ryan, getting another cup from the cupboard, looked back over his shoulder. “Huh? Oh. It stopped working, and I kind of lost my temper.”

“Uh-huh,” Colin said, examining the damage. “You really don’t need to slay your kitchen appliances, Ry.”

“It was a bad day.”

Colin’s eyes flicked up, understanding shining within them. He nodded but didn’t comment. Instead, he asked, “Do you have a toolbox?”

Ryan frowned and turned. “I think so… somewhere.” He bent down to rummage around in the cupboard under the sink. “Aha!” He passed the dusty black box to Colin, and stood. “Don’t tell me you’re an electrician, too.”

Colin had opened the box and was busy perusing its contents. He finally plucked out a small screwdriver. “Actually, I used to work in a hardware store and picked up a few things.”

Never having heard Colin mention anything about his life before becoming a slayer, Ryan was instantly intrigued. “Really? How long did you do that for?”

“A few years,” Colin replied, his eyebrows knitting together in concentration as he worked.

Biting back a barrage of questions, Ryan settled back against the counter and watched him. There were so many things he wanted to ask, so many things he didn’t know about the man before him, but there was plenty of time. He didn’t want to start some sort of interrogation.

After a few minutes, Colin straightened up with a grimace. “I think you need to buy a new machine, Ry. I can’t save this one.”

Ryan passed a cup of coffee over with a smile. “Thanks for trying, anyway.”

 

As the meager amount of light in the stormy sky waned and dusk crept in, they left Ryan’s apartment. It was still raining hard, which made the ride pretty miserable despite Colin’s close proximity, and Ryan was relieved when they pulled off the road. He caught a brief glimpse of a large, ivy-covered house before they were safely inside the garage.

Colin took Ryan’s helmet and stowed it safely on the bike before leading him into the house through an adjoining door. “Home sweet home,” he said cheerfully.

Shrugging off his jacket, Ryan looked around with interest. The hallway of the house was spacious and airy, with plenty of old wooden furniture and interesting looking antiques. A large staircase stood to one side, leading to the upper floors, with a large window at the top. It certainly put his small apartment in the shade.

“It was my parents’ house,” Colin said, obviously noticing his slightly uncomfortable expression. “They left it to me, complete with furniture and permanent tenants. Termites,” he explained, when Ryan gave him a puzzled look. “Believe me, I’d much prefer something smaller.”

As Colin showed him to the kitchen, Ryan saw flashes of large rooms through slightly open doors--one of them, which he presumed to be the main living room, with an old-fashioned fireplace. He had a sudden vision of himself and Colin curled up in front of a roaring fire in the depths of winter and had to shake himself back to the present.

The kitchen was no less impressive than the rest of the house, but it had a cosier, homely feel to it which set Ryan a little more at ease. Both deciding on a simple and quick pasta dish for dinner, Colin set to work with practiced ease.

“Chef too?” Ryan asked with amusement, settling on a stool by the counter. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

Colin laughed, slicing an onion. “Yes. I can’t sing or dance, so don’t ask me to.”

“Damn. There goes the karaoke night I had planned.”

“Don’t even joke,” Colin grinned, shaking his head. “Here, you can do the garlic for me.” He passed over a garlic bulb, a garlic press, and another knife. “A couple of cloves should do it.”

Ryan eyed the bulb and press as if they were alien entities, reluctantly picking up the knife. He suddenly wished he’d paid more attention to the array of daily cookery shows which plagued nearly every channel. Colin didn’t seem to notice his unease, now busy cutting up mushrooms. Shrugging, Ryan started breaking the bulb apart.

It was all going fairly well, or so Ryan thought, but Colin’s voice made his hand pause in the midst of stuffing two cloves into the press.

“You need to peel them first, Ry. Here.” He stepped over and plucked one of the cloves out, neatly slicing the top and bottom off before removing the papery skin. “Like that.”

“Guess it shows that I don’t cook much,” Ryan said good-naturedly, getting started on the other clove while Colin went to stir the sizzling onions.

Colin looked back with a smile. “I didn’t used to either but, I don’t know, I find it very… therapeutic.”

“Fuck!” The knife dropped from Ryan’s hand with a clatter. “Was finely sliced finger in the recipe?”

Colin was instantly at his side. “Let’s see.”

Ryan held up the injured digit, allowing Colin to inspect the damage. Blood was oozing from a clean cut across the pad.

“It doesn’t look too deep.”

Before Ryan could form a response, Colin’s mouth closed around the injured finger and Ryan felt his tongue brushing over it gently. Ryan’s breathing quickened. He was surprised to find the sensation intensely erotic, and the stinging pain of his cut was all but forgotten. He watched, transfixed, as Colin slid the digit slowly out of his mouth and pressed a kiss to the tip.

“All better.”

Quickly pulling himself together, Ryan withdrew the finger and grinned. “You’re not part vampire, are you?”

“No,” Colin laughed. “Besides, that was far too garlicky for a vamp.” He leaned in to press a quick kiss to Ryan’s lips. “Come on, let’s get dinner sorted.”

 

It made a nice change to have a proper meal, made from scratch with fresh ingredients. It reminded Ryan of home. Not his apartment but rather the house he grew up in, where the delicious aroma of dinner used to waft up the stairs and into his room. He and his brother would always be drawn down to the kitchen, like moths to a flame. Colin’s pasta smelled just as enticing.

They sat down to eat at the kitchen counter with a bottle of wine, chatting and laughing about things that didn’t matter. Ryan barely noticed the hours pass by.

As night marched relentlessly towards morning they stretched out side by side on the couch in the living room, Nos and Ratu roaming freely around them. They talked sporadically in-between periods of comfortable silence, content just to lie together. It was the most enjoyable way of doing nothing that Ryan had ever known.

“Can I ask you something?” Ryan murmured, breaking another spell of drowsy tranquility. He was absentmindedly twining his fingers with Colin’s.

“Sure.”

Ryan shifted onto his side to look at him properly. “When did you know? That you were a slayer, I mean.”

A sad sort of smile lifted Colin’s mouth for an instant. “Not for a long time.” His gaze dropped to their linked hands and he rubbed his thumb over a scar on Ryan’s palm. Ryan waited, uncertain if he would continue, and he was on the verge of hastily changing the subject when Colin spoke again.

“Growing up, there was absolutely nothing special about me. I was an only child, sent away at a young age to an expensive school which I hated. I survived by making myself invisible, blending in, and I managed to get fairly good grades at the end of it. Not as good as my parents hoped, of course, but I was never going to be the son that they wanted. They inevitably didn’t approve of my sexual preferences, not least because they lost any chance of grandchildren. That fractured our brittle relationship a little more.

“After my education was complete, I rebelled against their plans for a high-flying career. I got out and traveled around the world, sinking my inheritance, before news of my parents’ deaths brought me back here.”

“How—“

“Car accident,” Colin answered, before Ryan could finish, apparently reading his mind. “Nothing more complicated than that.”

Ryan squeezed his fingers. “I’m sorry.”

Colin thanked him with a brief smile. Blowing out a deep breath, he shifted to rest his head against Ryan’s shoulder more comfortably. “I had to grow up fast. After the funeral, I started looking for a job. My fancy qualifications didn’t count for anything here, but I managed to get some shift work at the hardware store across town.

“So I slept, I ate, and I worked, wondering if that was it--if that was my life over. And then it happened. Just over fifteen years ago.

“I was working late, helping out with an annual stock-take which was both time consuming and mind-numbingly dull. When I eventually left the store, it was past nine and completely dark. I started to take my normal route home, but then it began to rain heavily and I didn’t have a coat so I cut down a back alley to get there faster. I was thinking of nothing more than putting my feet up with a cold beer.

“The first I knew of their presence was a dark figure blocking my path. I turned to head back the way I came, only to find another behind me. To this day, I can’t honestly tell you what happened next; it’s a blur. I remember seeing a flash of sharp teeth as one bore down upon me and I guess I must have acted on pure instinct because the next minute I had them both pinned against the wall.”

Ryan chuckled quietly. “I would have loved to have seen their expressions.”

Amusement crept into Colin’s tone for the first time since beginning the tale. “They did seem rather surprised by the turn of events. Anyway, an Angel team appeared out of nowhere to finish the job--not that I knew who they were then, of course. Apparently they had witnessed the whole thing, and had been on the point of intervening when I had fought back. They took me back to the base, talking excitedly to each other the whole way. But the only word my brain registered was ‘slayer.’

“That night changed everything for me. I was introduced to a whole new world and, for the first time in my whole life, I mattered.” He fell silent again, not the comfortable kind this time but one laden with emotional baggage.

“Hey.” Ryan tugged on his hand, waiting until Colin raised his head and the dark eyes locked with his own. “I don’t know a lot, but there’s one thing I’m sure of. You _always_ mattered.”


	18. Chapter 18

Ryan found it hard not to grin like an idiot as he walked to work on Monday evening, despite the continuing dreary weather. He was thinking back over what was undoubtedly the best weekend he could remember. After their heart-to-heart, he felt so much closer to Colin than before. They’d both shared a hidden part of themselves. He’d been loath to go home in the early hours of Sunday morning, contentedly dozing next to Colin on the couch, but time had been against them with Marcus due to return.

They’d seen each other later on that day, of course, for training. Ryan had been delighted when Colin had paired him up with himself, and he’d spent the session trying his hardest to win points – Colin had merely grinned at his determination, constantly challenging him further. Their moves became more playful in nature once the session had ended and they were alone. Grunts of exertion turned to moans while arms and hands, which had been repelling advances, instead pulled each other close.

Ryan had never been happier. In fact, the only problem with the whole situation at the moment was his own body. He was finding it difficult to control his natural reactions when Colin was around; he was constantly coiled tightly like a spring, and waking up painfully hard was now a daily occurrence. This morning he had given into temptation and temporarily relieved some of the pressure in the shower, closing his eyes and imagining Colin’s mouth around him--which almost immediately made him spurt thick ropes of milky come across the tiled wall with a dizzying climax.

Crossing the bridge over the rapidly flowing river, which was swollen with three days of rain, he idly wondered if Colin had done the same and immediately suppressed the thought as his cock stirred with sudden interest. He was not going to arrive at work with a raging erection, like some sort of horny teenager. Deciding to distract the secondary brain in his pants, he spent the next five minutes doing complicated sums in his head so that, when he entered the base, he was calm and collected.

 

However, it turned out that he was in the minority. As soon as he got through security and into the main room, Ryan could tell that that something was wrong. Everyone was in a state of agitation, their movements conveying a sense of urgency. Many were huddled around the cluster of computers in the center, talking over each other with equally grave expressions, Colin and Drew among them.

Ryan frowned, intercepting one of the techs who was walking past him. “What’s going on?”

The tech--one of the newbies, judging by his age--looked momentarily surprised that Ryan didn’t know. “Bob Foster’s missing.”

Ryan’s frown deepened. Bob was the deputy sheriff; a decent man, well liked by everyone in the town. “Since when?”

The younger man looked only too happy to explain further, speaking quickly in his haste to divulge the juicy details with barely concealed enthusiasm. “Some time yesterday. His wife says he didn’t come home last night and no-one’s seen him. His truck was found abandoned out on Bellevue.”

Ryan’s gaze moved back to Colin, still deep in conversation with Drew, and muttered a quick, “Thanks,” to the tech before walking to join them. As he moved closer, he could hear intermittent voices amidst the crackle of interference from the police radios that the base was intercepting. “Any news?”

Colin’s head snapped up. His expression was strained but he looked glad, and maybe a little relieved, to see Ryan. “Not yet.”

“You need to get out there and see if you can find anything,” Drew said distractedly, still listening to the radio.

Ryan’s gaze flicked to Drew and back again. “You think it’s vamp related?”

“There’s nothing to suggest it yet,” Colin replied, straightening up, “but I’ve got a nasty feeling. The sooner we start looking into it, the better.”

The rest of the guys arrived in dribs and drabs over the next few minutes and were immediately filled in on the situation. With a renewed sense of purpose, the whole team was ready to go within three minutes.

“Okay, listen up,” Colin called, quietening the speculative chatter. “Our main priority tonight is finding Bob. As yet we have no way of knowing if his disappearance is dark creature related but, until we do, we have to presume that it is. Start with the normal patrol routes and then circle out wider. Watch each other’s backs and radio me if you find anything, otherwise maintain radio silence. Just so you’re aware, some of the other teams have come in to help with the search so you’ll never be too far from back-up. There’ll also be a fair amount of patrol cars on the streets, and possibly civilians, involved in the search, which might attract unwanted attention.”

“Just what we need; a buffet line,” Chip muttered. He was anxiously fingering his pack of cigarettes like a holy man would his bible--the Good Book itself was of little assistance in this case, contrary to its use in many popular horror movies.

Colin turned to Greg, ignoring the comment. “Greg, you’re with Brad tonight. Jeff, you’re with Chip, and Ryan’s with me. Let’s go.”

Ryan’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the choice of pairings--Colin had been consistently pairing Ryan with other people over the last few weeks, wary of arousing suspicion. Ryan got the distinct impression that, now things might well be heating up, Colin wanted to keep him close, and it caused a warm tightness in his chest. He felt exactly the same way.

 

The streets were indeed busier than normal, the dark alleys and sidewalks illuminated every so often with the beam of a passing patrol car or flashlight. Ryan and Colin headed north to search, covering ground as quickly as possible and keeping conversation to a minimum. The rain had eased to a persistent drizzle, almost a mist, which obscured their vision within a few meters, making their task even more difficult. They came across other Angels a couple of times, as well as a few good Samaritans who were also searching, but there was no sign of Bob, nor any vampire sightings. It looked like their fears for the safety of those involved in the search was proving unfounded.

“Nothing,” Ryan muttered, looking behind some trash cans in just one of many such alleys they’d checked. “Give me something to kill, damn it!” He slammed them back against the wall in a fit of frustration, one toppling over to spread rotting garbage at his feet which earned another curse.

“Looks like you’re doing a pretty good job with those,” Colin mused, walking back towards him from the far end of the alley. “You want me to hold them down for you?” Ryan glanced sideways at him, his scowl transforming into a grudging smile.

As they emerged from the alley back onto the street, a police patrol car rounded the corner, sirens wailing, and shot past them heading towards the outskirts of town. Colin and Ryan exchanged an apprehensive look before taking off after it at a run, the cold night air chilling their damp clothes and faces.

“Base to Alpha One, come in.”

Without slowing down, Colin removed the radio from his belt and answered. “Go ahead, Drew.”

“It sounds like they’ve found something out on the highway, past the gas station, over.”

Having a confirmed location, Colin silently gestured to an alley which would cut out some of the distance and they both pelted across the road and into the darkness. “Yeah, we’re on it, over.”

“Okay, keep me informed. Over and out.”

 

There was already a small crowd gathered by the time they arrived, a police cordon keeping the curious onlookers back. Colin and Ryan managed to squeeze their way to the front, peering through the maze of police cars, ambulances, and officers to where the attention was focused. Ryan could see the shape of a body on the ground, but nothing more. He, or she, wasn’t moving.

After a minute or so, another vehicle screeched to a halt and a frantic woman jumped out. As she stepped into the light, Ryan recognized her as Bob’s wife although she looked like a mere shadow of her former self. Her hair was un-brushed, tied back haphazardly, her face tired and strained almost to breaking point. She had to be physically restrained from breaking through the cordon by three police officers, and the Sheriff hurried over to talk to her. He only said a few words before she collapsed to the ground, though not from anguish. Her expression was one of utmost relief.

“It’s not Bob,” Colin murmured, mirroring Ryan’s thoughts.

There was renewed activity at the scene as the paramedics stood back to let the medical examiner through. A moment later, Ryan caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar man in shabby clothes being placed in a black body bag. His face was visible for an instant as the trolley was lifted and the bag zipped up.

“Fuck.”

Colin had obviously seen the same thing Ryan had. Where the unknown man’s eyes should have been, there were now blackened, burnt out holes. It caused bile to rise in the back of Ryan’s throat. That was no vampire attack. Grabbing Ryan’s arm, Colin pushed back through the crowd and moved to a safe distance before pulling out his radio.

“Alpha One to all teams; watch your backs. We have a Night Demon on the loose.”


	19. Chapter 19

Ryan wrapped his coat around his body more securely, burying his hands deep within its folds as he listened to Colin conversing with Drew and the rest of the teams over the radio. They were in an alley a few hundred meters away from the crowded crime scene, the loud murmur of speculative conversation still audible. Within the space of a few minutes, the night had suddenly become much colder, the darkness infinitely more threatening. A frown was creasing Colin’s brow as he talked, his face a picture of concentration, trying to work out a concerted plan of action to avoid what could potentially be a massacre.

There was a screech nearby and Ryan whipped around, his gaze sweeping the street while his hand flew to the assortment of weapons hidden out of sight. He half expected to see something lunge out of the night at him, but there was nothing except the gentle fall of rain. He kept watching for another minute before turning back to resume his silent study of Colin’s tense face, and his mind flashed back to the gruesome image he’d seen only moments before.

Of the many types of demons—from the small, mischievous imps, who tended to aggravate rather than harm, to the much larger, terrifying harbingers of death and destruction—Night Demons were among the worst. Vast winged creatures in their natural form, their naked skin was a leathery reddish black and hot to the touch. Unfortunately they also had the ability to take human form—any human they so wished—which made hunting them all the more difficult. They were powerful, cunning, and, as already demonstrated, very deadly. The fact that there was one here, now, was definitely not a good omen.

“Okay,” Colin said into the radio, his eyes flashing up to briefly meet Ryan’s, “I’ll rendezvous with the rest of the Alphas in the churchyard. Drew, can you call Marcus in and get him to cover the South side with Beta team while we go north? The more people we have on this the better, over.”

Drew’s voice immediately broke through the interference to respond. “He’s already here. They’re on it.” He paused and, when he spoke again, his voice had lost some of its brisk efficiency, replaced with a softer tone of concern. “Stay safe out there, all of you. Over and out.”

Ryan frowned, his gaze searching Colin’s face as he stowed the radio. “Bob?”

Colin shook his head as he started to move out of the alley. “This takes priority now. The search will have to wait.” He stopped abruptly as they were about to step back out onto the street, and turned to press an unexpected kiss to Ryan’s lips. It was over before Ryan had fully registered it. “Watch your back, Ry. This thing has already killed once tonight.”

“Who’s watching yours?” Ryan countered, as Colin set off at a run towards the tall steeple rising out of the darkness in the distance. Glancing skyward, and with a certain amount of trepidation, Ryan quickly followed.

 

The churchyard was even darker than the surrounding streets, without any kind of lighting to pierce the inky blackness. Only the ghostly shapes of a few headstones were discernible near the old wooden gate, where Greg and Brad stood waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. 

“This is bad, dude,” Greg said grimly, as soon as he noticed Colin’s approach—Ryan was still a few steps behind. “Remember how much of a fucker that last one was a couple of years ago?”

“Yes, but this time there are two slayers on the case,” Colin pointed out, stopping beside Greg and glancing back towards Ryan. “We need to get this thing by dawn.”

“Did you see it?” Brad asked, his eyes alight with something close to excitement.

“No, we just saw its handiwork,” Ryan said darkly.

“Chip and Jeff?” Colin asked Greg.

“I haven’t seen them.”

Just as Colin reached for the radio on his belt, two figures materialized out of the rain at a brisk jog.

“Sorry,” Jeff called. “Just had to deal with something.”

“Deal with what?” Colin frowned, his gaze instantly sweeping over them for any sign of injuries. “I told you to call me if anything happened.”

Jeff held his hands up. “I know, but the truth is it was over and done with so quickly that we figured—“

“ _You_ figured,” Chip corrected, shooting Jeff a look.

“Whatever. Anyway it made more sense to tell you when we got here.” 

“Is one of you going to tell us at some point tonight?” Greg cut in, slipping a cigarette into his mouth. “Because there’s a big fucking demon out there somewhere, which we need to kill.”

Colin’s frown deepened, his eyes never moving from Jeff’s. “What happened?”

“On our way back we came across a vamp trying to steal a snack in one of the alleys.”

The frown creasing Colin’s brow lifted in surprise. It was the first vampire sighting since the battle which had cost Tom his life.

“She was only a youngster, though,” Jeff continued, “and she turned tail and fled as soon as she saw us. Luckily her potential victim just thought it was a simple mugging attempt.”

“She didn’t get a bite?”

“No, and there was no sign of any other vamps at all.”

While Colin was digesting this information, Jeff looked across at Ryan. “It was our old friend, the girl who attacked you in the playground last month.”

The image of a sulky face swam to the surface of Ryan’s mind. “The kid with the attitude?”

“Yeah, except this time she wasn’t cocky at all—she just seemed… scared.”

“Maybe she knew about the Night Demon,” Chip suggested, but Colin immediately shook his head.

“She’d have nothing to fear from a demon. Vampires have no life force to steal.”

“Nope. They’re dead.”

Jeff rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the input, Brad.”

Colin held his hands up. “We can discuss this later—right now we need to get moving. I’ll take point; Ryan, you’ll be my right flank, Greg, my left. Jeff and Chip, you’ll be behind us, covering the sky, and Brad, you’ll be bringing up the rear. Keep one hand on your gun at all times—I don’t need to tell you how dangerous this thing is. We’ll take it slow and steady. Any questions?” 

“Why do I have to bring up the rear?” Brad piped up, a touch of a whine in his voice.

“Because you’re the ass,” Greg shot back, smirking.

“Okay, enough,” Colin called, over the smattering of snorts and sniggers, clearly fighting a smile himself. “We have a job to do. So let’s go.”

 

The next four hours passed very slowly, and they came across nothing more exciting than a few weary stragglers still searching for Bob (the official search had been called off until the morning) and the odd cat. The team had remained diligently in formation throughout, but it was draining to maintain a constant state of heightened concentration for so long and, by one o’clock in the morning, it was beginning to show.

With every new sound, Ryan’s finger would twitch on the trigger of his gun and his eyes ached from straining to see into every dark alley, doorway, and garden. But Colin’s presence beside him, the reassuring brush of his arm as they walked, was a calming influence, keeping him focused and determined. This demon son of a bitch was going down.

The number of occupied dwellings dwindled as they headed towards the far end of town, replaced by derelict buildings which had to be searched individually. It was as the team were approaching yet another crumbling house, its walls a mass of thick ivy, that they clearly heard a cry from inside—and, from the pitch, it had come from a woman.

The dilapidated house was completely boarded up, but several wooden planks that had been covering the front door had been pulled away to form a narrow entrance. Ryan immediately drew his gun and started towards it, but Colin flung an arm out to stop him. “No. That looks like the only one way in and out—it could be a trap.”

“What now then?” Brad hissed.

Colin drew his weapons, handling them with practiced ease. “Cover the door. Greg, you’re with me. We’ll need your flashlight.”

Ryan wanted to protest vehemently but he couldn’t. Instead he clenched his jaw, feeling completely helpless as Colin stepped into the building with Greg just behind. 

“Hello?”

Colin’s call echoed out to them, but there was no answering cry within the building. A second later, Ryan jumped at a loud crash and the bobbing light of the flashlight went out but, if the string of loud curses were any indication, Greg had merely tripped over. Then, in the darkness, there was a second crash, and then another. Ryan had to force himself to stay where he was, his heart beating in his throat as the seconds ticked by.

Jeff shifted forwards, looking almost as anxious, “Colin? Greg? You guys okay?”

“We’re fine,” Colin said, suddenly appearing through the gloom.

“Man, that place is a death trap,” Greg coughed, stumbling out after him and removing his glasses to clean them in the dim light.

“Did you find anything?” Ryan asked.

“Nothing except rotting floorboards,” Colin replied, wiping his face. “Come on.” He started walking away, the others following, but Ryan didn’t move. Something didn’t feel right.

“Wait—what about the woman’s voice?” 

Colin shrugged. “Must have been the wind.”

Ryan wasn’t going to accept that as an answer but before he could launch any kind of protest a figure rushed past him from the house and tackled Colin to the ground. There was an instant uproar as weapons were drawn on the two wrestling men, followed by an utterly bewildered pause. Ryan blinked several times. The attacker was Colin. There were now two of them—identical in every way.

“Holy shit,” Brad swore, pointing his gun at each Colin in turn as they fought on the ground. 

One thing was certain—one of the two was the Night Demon. The question was which?

“What do we do?” Chip asked wildly, circling the mass of flailing limbs.

“Shoot him!” Both Colins yelled at the same time.

“Do not shoot, Chip!” Greg shouted. “You could hit the real Colin.” He turned to Jeff. “Call Marcus on the radio. We need him here right now!”

As Jeff rushed to comply, the two fighting Colins scrambled back to their feet. Both were fighting tooth and nail to gain the advantage, their hands at each other’s throats.

Like the others, Ryan had his gun out but he was busy studying the two men intently. As they turned, and he got a good look at both of their faces, it was suddenly as clear as day which one the real Colin was. 

Ryan raised his weapon, ignoring a panicked call from Greg, and took the shot.

“What the fuck did you do?” Greg shouted as he snatched the gun from Ryan’s fingers, his eyes practically sparking with anger.

“I shot the demon,” Ryan replied firmly, nodding his head towards the figure on the ground and Greg spun around to look.

The Colin double was changing before their eyes, reverting back to its hellish form with an unnatural shriek, the wound to its head projecting a bright light which suddenly burst forth to envelop it completely. Then, in the blink of an eye, there was nothing left but the few dead leaves it had lain upon, scattered away by the wind.

Colin stood nearby, hunched over and still breathing heavily, and the team descended on him at once to check him over.

“I’m okay,” he panted, waving away their concern but keeping his head bowed.

“How did you know?” Chip asked, looking across at Ryan. The rest of the team, except Colin, turned to face him as well, Brad and Greg a little aggressively.

Ryan knew that he couldn’t tell the truth, but he decided on some semblance of it. “His eyes. They gave him away for an instant.” 

Chip and Jeff seemed to accept this explanation without question, while Brad muttered something under his breath and turned back to Colin. Only Greg continued to study Ryan, barely veiled scepticism shining behind his thickly framed spectacles. Ryan met his gaze unflinchingly though and, after several moments, Greg blew out a breath and shook his head.

“That was still a pretty big gamble, dude.”

The group’s attention was drawn at that point by the arrival of Marcus and Beta team. Ryan ignored the newcomers, focusing instead on Colin and slipping a supportive hand under his arm. Colin looked up, flashing him a smile which conveyed both gratitude and reassurance, and Ryan responded with one of his own, accompanied by a light squeeze of his fingers.

What the others didn’t understand, _couldn’t_ understand, was that it hadn’t been a gamble at all.


	20. Chapter 20

After a lengthy debrief, Alpha team was finally allowed to go home. Drew dismissed any and all protests, assuring them that the other teams would take over the search for Bob and insisting that they wouldn’t be any good to anyone without some proper rest.

Ryan was just glad to be out of that room and away from the scrutiny with which many questions had been asked of the evening’s events. Luckily Colin had been at his side to deflect the attention directed towards Ryan when his vague answers had been probed in greater detail, but it had been uncomfortable to say the least.

Now, as the soft light of dawn lit the cloudy sky in the east, he began the walk home alongside Colin, finally allowing some of the tension to flow from his weary body. The rain had stopped at some point during their debrief and the wind that ruffled their clothes smelled fresh with the promise of a bright new day. As soon as they were out of sight of prying eyes, Ryan pulled Colin into a shadowy alleyway and, without a word, brought their lips together. Colin seemed to understand this intrinsic need for contact, and sought to reassure him in his response, his fingers lightly raking through Ryan’s thick locks.

“Some night, huh,” Colin murmured upon his release, sliding his hand down Ryan’s arm to link their fingers together.

“Yeah,” Ryan rumbled, resting his head against Colin’s. “It’s not every day you have to shoot your boyfriend.”

Colin lifted his head, his gaze curious. “How _did_ you know, Ry? A Night Demon would never be foolish enough to let his mask slip, even for an instant.”

“Maybe not,” Ryan conceded, “but his eyes still gave him away. There was no warmth in them, no humanity, nothing that makes you… _you_.”

A slow smile lifted Colin’s mouth, causing Ryan to grin and drop his head at how corny his words had sounded. He glanced back up a moment later, his grin softening. 

“What I mean is, you may be a kick-ass slayer, Col, but you have a gentle soul.”

“Shh!” Colin hissed, covering Ryan’s mouth and looking up and down the alley in an exaggeratedly paranoid way. “You’ll destroy my big bad slayer rep…”

With a deep rumble of laughter, Ryan pulled Colin’s hand away and put his mouth to better use as the first rays of golden light broke through the clouds above.

 

The search for Bob continued for several days but nothing was found—not even a clue as to the fate of Cedarcrest’s missing deputy—and hope gradually faded. According to police reports, the search was to be scaled down, the case filed, while the death of the Night Demon’s sole victim—an unidentified hitch-hiker—was put down to electrocution, most likely a lightning strike.

“They really have no idea, do they?” Brad scoffed, upon hearing the news.

“And we have to keep it that way,” Colin replied seriously.

 

At 7.50pm on Saturday, Ryan’s evening with Colin (and the dinner he’d slaved over for most of the afternoon) was interrupted by a series of mockingly cheerful beeps from Colin’s pager. Colin didn’t say much, other than he’d been summoned to the base by Drew, pressing a quick apologetic kiss to Ryan’s lips before swiftly leaving. Ryan watched from his window as the bike sped off, resigning himself to a night of mindless television, but, less than half an hour later, the rest of the Alphas were called in as well. 

The team arrived to a scene reminiscent of the previous Monday, except this time the speculative chatter was considerably more morose, and any grumbles about ruined plans quickly fizzled out. Colin spotted their arrival from where he was talking to Drew and, quickly finishing up the conversation, headed over. He wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

“Bob was found an hour ago.”

Ryan could tell from Colin’s grim expression that the deputy hadn’t simply turned up on someone’s doorstep, and his stomach dropped.

Chip asked the question anyway. “Is he…?” He let the question hang in the air for a moment before Colin shook his head.

“He’s dead. A couple of sewer workers found him.”

“Fuck,” Greg swore, apparently unable to form a more intelligent response.

“Sewer workers?” Jeff frowned, sinking down onto the empty desk behind him.

Colin nodded. “Yeah, on what they’d thought would be a routine maintenance job.” He crossed his arms in front of him, blowing out a breath. “At this point, only a handful of people are aware of it—Bob’s wife doesn’t even know yet. The sheriff called Drew personally a little after the discovery was made, because of the… _unusual_ circumstances surrounding the death. He’s given us the go ahead to examine the scene before it’s trampled by police units. You have five minutes to change before we leave.”

As the team silently headed for the Alpha locker room, Ryan exchanged an apprehensive look with Colin. Since the League of Angels was founded, Cedarcrest’s sheriffs had been the only men in town—outside of the Angels themselves—who knew of the organization’s existence, sworn to secrecy by the government upon their appointment to the post. It had never been a particularly amicable alliance, though—most sheriffs had tended to view the Angels as either an insult to the Cedarcrest police force or simply a waste of time and money—and the two rarely interacted. The fact that the present sheriff had called Drew about Bob’s death was an indication of just how unusual the case had become.

 

The team had to travel across town to reach the scene, on a small road between two stores. The only thing that pointed to its significance was the sheriff’s truck parked up halfway down, dark and silent.

The driver’s door opened as they approached, a shadowy figure emerging. The click of a flashlight illuminated his face a moment later. John Litchford was 6’4, his hair still a deep chestnut brown despite the fact that he had to be nudging fifty, his eyes a hard, steel blue. He was an imposing man, badge aside. Right now those piercing eyes were filled with tension and mistrust.

Colin nodded politely. “Sheriff.”

The other man merely grunted in response, gesturing to a nearby open manhole with his flashlight. “Down there.”

As Colin took a step towards it the sheriff put out a hand to stop him, his shadowed eyes trained on Colin’s face.

“You can look, but don’t touch. This is still an official crime scene, even if I haven’t called it in yet.” His gaze moved across to the hole where his flashlight beam was focused. “Bob was a damn good man. To die like… _that_.” He looked back at Colin, shaking his head. “It’s all wrong.” 

“We’ll be respectful, sheriff,” Colin replied softly. “You have my word.”

Seemingly appeased, the sheriff released his grip and stepped back. “I can only give you fifteen, twenty minutes, tops.”

Colin nodded to indicate he understood and led the team over to the manhole, the light from the sheriff’s flashlight seeming to make the hole even darker. One by one they descended the ladder, rust sticking to and scuffing their hands, until their feet hit solid ground with a small splash. Their flashlights illuminated a sizable tunnel leading away from them, large enough for a man to comfortably stand up in, a channel of murky water running between a narrow ledge on either side at the bottom.

In single file, they slowly made their way along the ledge to one side. At any other time there would have been cracks about being in the middle of a sewer on a Saturday night but, as they were all acutely aware of what they were heading towards, the tunnel remained silent except for their footfalls. 

The first thing they noticed was the smell—a foul stench unlike any other, tinged with a strange sort of sweetness—that got stronger the further they walked, so that they were soon forced to cover their noses. Despite the knowledge that they were walking into a murder scene, nothing prepared them for the sight that met their eyes when the tunnel eventually widened into a stone chamber.

“Jesus,” Greg murmured weakly.

Bob Foster had been strung up against the far wall with thick rope and slit open from throat to groin, his innards streaming out and down towards the floor in a kind of macabre waterfall. His naked body was pale and tinged with blue, his eyes blank and staring.

Chip immediately gagged and turned away, the sound of his retching echoing along the tunnel. The others stepped inside, somewhat unwillingly, to take a closer look. There was a definite greenish tinge to several of their faces, half hidden behind hands and sleeves.

“He’s been dead for several days at least, judging by the stage of decomposition,” Greg said in a muffled voice.

While everyone else was staring at what remained of Bob with equally disgusted expressions, Colin’s gaze was fixed on the stone floor in front of the body where a series of intricate symbols had been carefully carved, now filled with congealed blood. Ryan glanced over at him and was alarmed, both by his expression and by how the color had drained from his face. He took half a step towards him in concern but Jeff’s voice cut in.

“What is that? Some sort of vampire code?”

Colin seemed to come back to himself but his gaze didn’t move. “No,” he replied softly, crouching down next to the stone carvings. “This language is much older.”

Brad wheeled around. “Wait—you’re saying that vamps didn’t do this?”

Colin shook his head. “I have no doubt that the Baron is behind this.”

“Then what the hell is this shit about?” Greg asked, tilting his head to get a better look at the symbols.

Blowing out a deep breath, Colin next words were softer—almost as if he was speaking to himself. “He’s found the book.”

Ryan didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that he was missing something very important and, judging by the rest of the team’s expressions, they were just as much in the dark as he was.

“What book?”

Colin’s eyes slid up to meet Ryan’s and he abruptly got to his feet. “We need to get back to the base. Now.”

 

“Okay, what’s this about a book?” 

As soon as the Alpha team had returned to base, Colin had called an emergency meeting. Now they were sat around the large conference table and Drew eyes were locked with Colin’s, his expression deadly serious. The others looked between them, Chip still paler than usual and sipping water from a plastic cup. Ryan was sitting on Colin’s right, watching him closely. He had the odd sensation of being on the edge of a deep precipice as he waited for an answer.

When Colin started to speak, his words were delivered with careful deliberation. “It’s been known by many names—The Book of Darkness, The Book of Blood, Hell’s Wrath. It was written by a dark man who sought to gain power through knowledge and control both worlds—ours and the underworld, the realm of demons.”

The only sound was Colin’s smooth, soft voice, and it effortlessly held the attention of everyone seated around the table. It was almost as if the entire room was holding its breath.

“His greed inevitably proved to be his downfall, and legend has it that the devil himself took the man as his own. After his death, the book passed through many hands. More greedy men tried to use it for their own ends and met the same fate until it was eventually lost, becoming little more than myth.

“It resurfaced in Eastern Europe with the rise of vampires, centuries later, and, in their hands, almost brought about the destruction of our world. The first slayer gave his life to prevent it. He was buried with the book in complete secrecy, his legacy only passed on to his successor who, in turn, vowed to protect it with his own life. Since then, every slayer has taken the same vow.”

“Okay,” Drew said slowly, breaking a moment of tense silence, “but what does this have to do with Bob?”

Colin leant forwards, resting both arms on the table. “What was carved into that chamber floor wasn’t meaningless ritual symbolism, Drew. It was an ancient language—the language of demons, something only a slayer or dark creature would recognize. Only one book in existence holds the key to that language. I don’t know how, but it appears that the Baron has found it and it’s clear that he intends to use it. Bob’s death is just the beginning.”

For the first time, Ryan saw a flash of real fear in Drew’s eyes. “How big are we talking?”

“The ritual is one of blood and sacrifice. Four lives must be offered—and the purer the soul, the more powerful the result. Their blood fills a series of specific symbols and serves to gradually open the portal between our worlds. Since the portal is weakest at the end of this month, I assume the Baron intends to conclude the ritual then.”

“Halloween,” Ryan murmured.

“So, if he succeeds,” Greg began, “it’d mean…”

“A full incursion,” Colin said, finishing the sentence for him. He looked back at Drew with a grim certainty. “The Baron is going to wreak vengeance on mankind with the apocalypse.”


	21. Chapter 21

It was a little after eleven when the meeting ended and the team parted ways, drained both by the grisly discovery and the reality of the situation they were now facing. It wasn’t easy to shake the echo of Colin’s words, and Ryan was sure that sleep would not come easily that night—for any of them.

Colin was unnaturally quiet as they walked to his bike, which was unsurprising considering the circumstances but it did nothing to ease the uncomfortable knot of foreboding in the pit of Ryan’s stomach. 

“I think our dinner may be beyond even the help of a microwave now,” he remarked, trying to lighten the mood. He only received a faint smile in return and, a moment later, the roar of the engine scuppered any further attempts.

When they entered his apartment ten minutes later, Ryan decided that he couldn’t take the silence anymore and reached out to snag Colin’s arm.

“Hey, talk to me.”

Colin turned and studied him for a moment before lifting his hand to stroke Ryan’s cheek lightly, a sad smile gracing his face. “I don’t want us to waste any more time, Ry.”

Hearing the unspoken words and understanding completely, Ryan covered Colin’s hand with his own and stepped closer. “Then don’t.” 

There was a moment of exhilarating tension, the air almost crackling between them with the heat of their locked gazes, before Colin surged forwards to capture his lips in a forceful kiss that Ryan immediately returned in equal measure, finding himself backed up against the hard wood of the door. It was very different to every other kiss—so much more intense and purposeful—and Ryan felt an unbridled thrill of anticipation at what lay ahead, reveling in the joy of no longer having to hold back or temper his desire. Without breaking the kiss, he reached to unzip Colin’s leather jacket and slid it off his shoulders. He felt Colin pulling at the hem of his shirt, lifting it free of his pants so that a burst of cool air hit his abdomen.

A shiver ran up Ryan’s spine, but the goose bumps which broke out across his torso were more to do with Colin’s fingers now running up his chest. Lifting his arms, he allowed Colin to pull his shirt over his head, their lips leaving each other’s for only a moment before returning to their fiery embrace. Ryan was already light-headed with need. He pulled Colin’s shirt open, feeling soft hairs under his fingertips as they danced across the exposed flesh.

Colin’s lips left his mouth and moved downwards, leaving a scorching heat where they grazed Ryan’s skin. Ryan let his head fall back against the door with a thud, swallowing around his suddenly dry throat as Colin mapped his neck, down to his collarbone and across the wide expanse of his chest, alternating the pressure of his nips and kisses between firm and feather-light. Ryan’s brain felt muddled and overwhelmed by the sensory assault.

When Colin sucked a nipple into his mouth, Ryan’s body jerked and a low moan of approval escaped his open mouth. Colin held him in place firmly, smiling around his mouthful, and flicked his tongue across the hard bud. He moved across to repeat the process with the other nipple, pleased when it earned an equally intense reaction.

Reaching down to grab Colin’s hands, Ryan pulled him back up level and into another searing kiss. “I need you,” he panted harshly against Colin’s lips. “I want you. Now.”

Colin kissed him again and then stepped back. His eyes were black pools of desire. “Lead the way.”

All of his remaining blood rushing south with those words, Ryan pushed off from the door and grabbed Colin’s hand, leading his across the living room and into the bedroom. Both of them instantly reached for the other’s pants, pressing together to rejoin their lips. It took some effort, but they managed to unfasten the offending clothing and step out of them, quickly kicking off the accompanying shoes and socks. Now there was just underwear separating them, tented under the strain of their arousal.

Ryan guided Colin back towards the bed and Colin allowed himself to fall onto the soft sheets, holding onto Ryan to bring him down on top, their mouths finding one another once more. Hardly daring to believe that this was finally happening, Ryan offered up a prayer to any God who was listening to not let it end too quickly. He wanted to make it last, to savor every moment, every new sensation and discovery. Sliding his fingers under the waistband of Colin’s underwear, he pulled them up and over the prominent bulge and slipped them down towards his feet while Colin made short work of his own.

When they pressed together again there was nothing between them, and every nerve in Ryan’s naked flesh sparked where it touched Colin’s. He’d never wanted to come so badly and yet, at the same time, he didn’t ever want it to be over.

Colin’s hand slid down his chest to his abdomen, and Ryan willed it to keep going to where he needed the touch most. He could feel Colin’s hardness next to his own, digging into his hip. Every now again they would brush against each other, which sent jolts of electricity through his body. He wanted so much more—his body was literally aching with a fierce longing. 

He had never bottomed in any of his previous relationships, but they had been meaningless liaisons compared to this. Ryan was more than willing to give the whole of himself tonight. However, Colin showed no signs of enforcing his slayer dominance. On the contrary, as if reading Ryan’s thoughts, he wrapped his legs around Ryan’s waist encouragingly. Emboldened by the move, Ryan slid their cocks together with a slow thrust of his hips, drawing identical sharp breaths from both of them. He repeated the move a couple more times, before deciding that he wasn’t going to last too long that way.

Suppressing the urge to continue, Ryan raised himself up and reached into his bedside drawer for the necessary supplies. Colin was content to lie back and watch him, breathing heavily. When Ryan’s questioning gaze met his, Colin understood and nodded his head a fraction in response.

After slow and careful preparation, his slick and skillful fingers coaxing the most exquisite sounds from Colin's mouth, Ryan paused to take in the wondrous sight before him. He ran a hand down Colin’s chest towards the nest of wiry hair further down where, nestled within its curls, lay the arching curve of Colin’s impressive cock, now flushed deep red and leaking with need.

“Beautiful,” Ryan murmured, his eyes roaming across the pale flesh.

Colin smiled softly, reaching to intertwine their fingers, and pulled Ryan down.

Sliding inside Colin’s toned body was like nothing else Ryan had ever felt, and his breath hitched of its own accord. Colin closed his eyes and moaned softly, wrapping his legs around Ryan’s waist again to draw him all the way in; Ryan leaned down to kiss his swollen lips, loathe to move. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop himself once he started.

The decision was taken away from him when Colin abruptly snapped his hips upwards, flashing fire all the way to the tips of Ryan’s toes. He instantly began to move, thrusting lightly, shallowly, at first but gradually getting stronger, deeper, the little noises in Colin’s throat spurring him onwards. Colin matched his every thrust with his hips, his fingers digging into Ryan’s back, while beads of sweat glistened and ran down the curves of their joined bodies.

“Oh, God. Colin…”

Colin dragged Ryan’s mouth down to his, sealing his lips, and then, in a show of strength, flipped their positions so that he was riding Ryan hard. Ryan was instantly on the brink and blindly reached for Colin’s erection; Colin moaned into his mouth when his fingers closed around the hot hard flesh and began to pump it, running his thumb over the weeping slit. They were now doing little more than panting into each other’s open mouths, searching for release. 

"Fuck!"

"Yes!"

It was all over in a few seconds, the force of Ryan’s orgasm stealing his breath so that he could only utter a soft sigh as his world imploded. Distantly he felt the answering warmth spreading across his hand and chest, and Colin’s shudder at reaching his own completion. 

A moment later he felt the bed shift as Colin collapsed onto his side, exhausted yet sated. Ryan turned into him and met his lips again, this time more lethargically, before grabbing some Kleenex to clean them both up. Then, pulling Colin close, he let his eyelids droop, biting back the words which threatened to bubble up from somewhere in his chest. Neither of them were quite ready for that yet. 

“Goodnight, Ryan,” Colin murmured sleepily, brushing his lips against Ryan’s chest.

“No,” Ryan smiled, hearing the distant sound of church bells as his eyes finally closed. “Good morning.”


	22. Chapter 22

When Colin woke hours later, it wasn’t an abrupt snap back to reality from another horrifyingly vivid dream but a gentle awakening to something unexpected—a warm feeling of contentment. Sure, the world was still in mortal peril from a demon day of reckoning… but it was hard not to smile at the sight of Ryan curled around him, sleeping peacefully.

Shafts of sunlight were slanting down from the partially open blinds, painting Ryan’s naked skin with warm splashes of gold. One of his long legs was wrapped around Colin’s own and his arm was likewise thrown across Colin’s chest, possessive even in sleep. As Colin shifted to look at him properly, Ryan’s fingers tightened a fraction in response but his face retained the tranquil quality of someone untroubled by disturbing dreams; his breathing remained slow and steady, puffing warm air across Colin’s shoulder with each exhale through dry lips. 

Colin resisted the urge to swipe his tongue across them, coaxing them to life once more. Instead he carefully extricated himself from Ryan’s grasp and padded silently to the bathroom, checking his watch on the way. He’d slept for almost eight hours—practically unheard of for him, not since his abrupt career change anyway. Although it had also been a long time since he had slept with the warmth of another body pressed against his own. The thought elicited another swooping wave of contentment.

Taking care of the pressing need that had roused him, he turned his attention to the shower. As tempting as it was to return to Ryan’s bed and his tender embrace, Colin simply had too much to do. From this point on, there would be endless meetings, reports, patrols—the small sliver of life that he retained as his own would be engulfed. 

The water quickly ran hot across his hand and, discarding his watch, he stepped under the spray, his skin instantly pebbling at the abrupt temperature change and rigorous sensation. Colin closed his eyes and lifted his face up, allowing the water to flow across it before journeying down his neck, chest and abdomen in hot rivulets. It brought to mind Ryan’s fingers, travelling just as assuredly across his skin the night before, stirring something deep within him—something he wasn’t sure he’d ever find.

Blinking the water from his eyes, Colin looked around for some kind of soap and found a bottle on a little shelf halfway up the wall. He smiled at the familiar scent as he worked up a lather—it was the scent that was infused into Ryan’s skin, warm and comforting—and his thoughts turned once again to the previous night.

The connection they’d experienced had gone far beyond mere physicality, easily surpassing any expectations he might have had. It was almost as if their minds and bodies were perfectly attuned to each other, communicating without any need for words. If Colin didn’t know for a fact that Ryan had only come into his life a few short months ago, he would have sworn that they’d known each other for much longer. The rarity of that feeling brought both joy and trepidation—he now had a lot more to lose.

The heat from the streaming water wasn’t enough to prevent the cold weight of worry and responsibility from seeping back and settling on Colin’s shoulders, the magnitude of the situation he was facing sweeping over him and reasserting itself in the cold light of day. Colin dropped his head and braced his hands against the tiled wall, his body rigid with renewed tension as endless questions flew through his mind, searching for answers he didn’t have.

The tumult within his head was stopped in its tracks as a pair of arms slipped around his waist from behind, and a cold nose nuzzled his neck.

“Hey.”

Colin’s mood lifted a little, and the trace of a smile curled his lips as he turned. “Hey yourself.”

Ryan’s eyes lost some of their playful gleam, becoming concerned as they moved across Colin’s face, perceiving the tension he was unable to hide. “You okay?” He immediately shook his head in silent admonishment. “No, of course you’re not—stupid question.”

Colin smiled properly then, resting a soapy hand on Ryan’s broad chest. “It’s fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

Ryan covered his hand and eased his fingers beneath it, exerting a gentle pressure. “How about we just concentrate on the shower for now, and leave saving the world for later?” He brushed his nose against Colin’s. “I have a very effective method of keeping your mind occupied.”

“Really?” Colin smirked, quirking an eyebrow. He thought Ryan was doing a pretty good job already.

Hovering a hair’s breadth away from Colin lips, Ryan smiled. “Uh-huh.”

He was as good as his word. During the next fifteen minutes, Ryan kept his mind fully occupied—by enthusiastically wrapping his mouth around Colin’s revitalized morning erection—and when Colin eventually found his release, he was thinking of nothing more than the tidal wave of pleasure that crashed over him and left him beached breathless against the cold tiles. 

 

“I need to go; I have a meeting with Drew and the Angel chiefs in an hour.”

Ryan was stretched out on the bed with nothing but a towel around his waist, his skin still glistening. Colin could feel his eyes following him as he located his boots and began to pull them on.

“That should be a bundle of laughs.”

“Hmm,” Colin sighed, straightening. It certainly wasn’t how he would choose to spend his Sunday morning, especially with the delectable sight before him. He leaned down, pressing his hands into the mattress on either side of Ryan’s body, Ryan tilting his face upwards to meet his lips. “See you at training later.”

Ryan nodded, stealing another kiss. 

“Good luck with the suits,” he called, as Colin grabbed his jacket from the floor by the door.

Colin smiled wryly. “Thanks. I might need it.”

 

The abandoned library that stood above the Angels’ base was a different building in daylight. Rays of golden autumn sunshine broke through the many holes in the roof, illuminating the floating dust particles and making the run-down building glow as if with a temporary renewal of life. Colin lightly stepped through the columns of light, his mind on what was likely to be a difficult meeting. He had to impress upon the chiefs in Washington the gravity of the situation they were now facing and, at the moment, he had very few answers to offer.

With the alert status raised there were more personnel inside than usual for mid-morning, tasked with monitoring the situation within the town and elsewhere across the northern states. The slightest hint of something irregular was immediately sent up the command chain for evaluation and, if necessary, further investigation. There were a few polite nods in Colin’s direction as he passed through.

“Colin!”

Marcus had just emerged from the Beta’s room to Colin’s right, his arm raised both in greeting and also to attract Colin’s attention. Colin was relieved to see that he was still clad in his black slayer gear, the bulge of weapons beneath his long coat, meaning he hadn’t been home yet and therefore wouldn’t be asking any awkward questions about where Colin had spent the night. Colin slowed his pace to allow the other man to catch up, thankful that another slayer was around to share the increasing burden.

“Is it true what Drew’s saying?” Marcus asked in an undertone, his face creased in an expression of disbelief. 

“I’m afraid so,” Colin said grimly, pushing through another door into a narrow corridor. A small security camera above followed their movements. “Believe me, I’ve having trouble accepting it myself but the evidence is clear.”

Marcus shook his head, dark locks dancing around his ruggedly handsome face. “I knew the Baron was planning something but, fuck, I never imagined… ”

Sensing where Marcus’ train of thought was going, Colin immediately sought to reassure him as best he could. He slowed down, grasping the other man’s arm to bring him about, his next words filled with nothing but earnest sincerity. “It’s not your fault, Marc. You couldn’t have seen this coming—none of us could.”

“Maybe one of us,” Marcus said quietly, voicing the one aspect of the situation that had been disturbing Colin the most. 

“Ah, good, you’re both here.”

Drew had appeared out of nowhere, further along the corridor. With a sweep of his arm he gestured towards the board room, a hint of impatience in his body language.

“Time to face the music,” Colin muttered, starting to move forward again. “I’m glad you’re with me for this.”

Marcus squeezed his shoulder. “I’ve got your back, buddy.”

 

“So, it appears that the earlier information we received was correct.”

The Angel chief was pinning Colin with a distinctly supercilious look. It reminded Colin a little of his disapproving father, and his answer was perhaps a little more clipped than usual. “Yes, it appears that way.”

With some assistance from Marcus and Drew, he’d spent the last thirty minutes explaining the situation in detail to the three Angel executives, only two of whom were present in person—the chief was watching proceedings via a video link. Colin, for one, was thankful that he hadn’t been able to personally attend due to prior commitments. Long distance communication dulled the edge of his blade somewhat.

“And this book,” the chief continued, settling back in his chair so that the Washington DC skyline was visible behind him, while his gaze remained fixed on Colin, “you’re certain the Baron has it in his possession?”

“I can see no other explanation. Only the book contains the key to understanding demon language and unlocking the portal to the underworld.”

“But you don’t know how he came to have it.”

It was more a statement than a question, from the youngest executive—a tawny-haired man who appeared to be a little more approachable and a little less severe than his peers.

“No… that book has lain protected for centuries.” 

“Clearly not protected enough,” the chief rumbled.

Colin sighed, casting an uneasy glance towards Marcus. He had known that this would be a sticking point—that certain members of the organization would not appreciate having been kept in the dark about this—they seemed to have more faith in technology than in slayer honor or wisdom. 

“It’s true that, while successful for many generations, the nature of that protection has now called our entire brotherhood of slayers into question.”

“Indeed.” Disapproval was now unmistakable in the chief’s tone. “A matter we intend to examine thoroughly, I assure you.” He brusquely overrode any interruption at this pronouncement. “In the meantime, what can we expect?”

It was starting to feel more like an interrogation than a meeting between colleagues. Colin was tempted to remind the chief that they were all on the same side, that the Angels were there to serve the slayers rather than the other way around, but there was no point. He took a sip of water, keeping his temper firmly in check. 

“A steady increase in demon activity as the ritual progresses and the walls between our worlds weaken.”

“It’s already started,” Marcus said, his chair creaking as he leaned forward to rest his forearms on the table. “We had three separate demon incidents last night alone.”

Colin’s mouth twisted in a kind of grimace as he looked back at the screen. “The Baron will be counting on that to keep us busy. I believe that the Night Demon was purely a distraction technique to carry out the deputy’s murder without any kind of impediment. We have to find the Baron and retrieve the book before he can complete the ritual on Halloween.”

“And how do you suggest we proceed?” 

The question came from the third exec, who had remained largely silent up until that point. His intense dark eyes, which matched his neatly cut raven hair, took in everything that went on around him but he rarely offered much himself. He was very much an enigma.

“We draft in teams from across the states,” the chief answered gruffly. “Get this dealt with quickly.”

Colin shook his head. “Not a good idea. Demon activity will increase across the states, and the world—wherever there’s an existing inter-dimensional weakness. We’re going to have to do this ourselves.

“I would suggest we pull all the teams closer to town in order to protect the population and deal with any demon or vamp activity while myself and the Alphas search for the Baron.”

“That sounds workable,” Drew said, tapping a staccato rhythm on the table with an index finger. “We’ll need to get the word out to all the other bases as soon as possible.”

“Then do it,” the chief instructed, holding up a hand to someone off screen who had obviously just arrived. “I’ll smooth things over here, but I expect daily reports on the situation. Failure is not an option, gentlemen.” 

The feed cut off abruptly, leaving a heavy silence.

 

“Wow. The chief’s a real people person, isn’t he?” Marcus remarked, with the hint of a smirk, as they walked back along the corridor towards the main hub, the meeting having ended only moments before.

Colin tried to smile, but didn’t quite manage it. They had a little over twenty days to find the Baron and save mankind from annihilation. Right now the chief—and whatever issues he had—was the least of his concerns.


	23. Chapter 23

“Man, it stinks down here,” Brad groaned, landing in the semi-darkness with a soft splash.

Chip landed lightly beside him, aiming a smirk that was barely visible. “That’s just you, Brad.”

“Ha fucking ha. I vote Chip takes point tonight—he can light the way with his teeth.”

“You know in situations like this it’s always the smart-ass that gets taken out first, right?

“Or the guy who’s bleeding. How did you get that cut on your arm?”

Chip looked down, hurriedly checking himself for any kind of injury. When it became apparent that there wasn’t one, Brad flashed him a smug smile.

“Made you look.”

Chip shoved him hard in the shoulder as Greg descended last, clicking his flashlight on as he hit the tunnel floor. “Another night, another sewer. Eau de fucking creepy.”

“We should get time off for good behavior,” Brad griped, all humor forgotten as he hit his flashlight to make it work. It blinked on and off a few times before deciding to stay on, highlighting what he’d just inadvertently stepped in. “Oh, man. That’s just nasty.”

Ryan scowled in their direction. He was as sick of these goddamned tunnels as they were; they’d been searching for four days straight and found nothing but shit and rats, and the gritty determination they’d all started out with was gradually eroding with each sunrise—it was hard to stay motivated when faced with nothing but dark empty tunnels and a blank nightly report sheet that seemed to mock their failure. But while the rest of the team went home to rest after each shift, Colin kept going. He only stopped searching to grab a few hours of sleep before the next shift started. Ryan was pretty sure that Drew knew nothing of this or, if he did, he was turning a blind eye. While Colin was defying orders and going against Angel regulations, he was first and foremost a slayer and he was acting on that base instinct that all slayers were born with—don’t stop. Don’t quit. Protect mankind at all costs.

Even Ryan couldn’t argue with that, despite serious misgivings and several attempts to stay with him. But Colin was stronger, faster, and the truth was that Ryan only slowed him down. The one thing that grudgingly made Ryan a little happier about the situation was Marcus’ equal dedication to the task. The two slayers searched together during daylight hours—both a blessing and a curse to Ryan, who was left behind. He made sure to make any time alone with Colin count—even if it was just holding him close as he slept.

“Okay, guys, you know the drill,” Colin said as the team huddled closer, Brad’s nose still wrinkled in distaste. “Stay together and stay alert.”

It wasn’t ideal. Staying together slowed down their progress considerably, but the team couldn’t risk splitting up to search in pairs. Down below street level, the odds were stacked in the vampires’ favor—they had infinitely better vision in the inky blackness, and a detailed knowledge of the underground system spanning back centuries. Having said that, searching the tunnels did at least keep the team out of the increasingly cold weather. The town had seen its first snowfall a few days earlier, and, while it had melted away within the space of a few hours, it was a sign that winter was beginning to take hold.

The tunnel widened out a little as they moved away from the ladder, but the small amount of fresh air which had descended from the manhole directly above was quickly swallowed by the stench. Ryan found himself walking beside Jeff, both shining their torches past Colin and Greg—who were directly in front of them—into the impenetrable darkness ahead, and trying to ignore Brad and Chip’s quiet bickering behind them.

“You think tonight could be our lucky night?” Jeff asked quietly.

Ryan’s mouth twisted in a kind of amused grimace as he cast a quick sideways glance at his friend. “Define lucky. Could we stumble across countless monsters in the darkness, all baying for our blood? Quite possibly.”

Jeff mirrored Ryan’s expression. “Point taken. Still the sooner we find the Baron and the book the better, right?”

“I guess so.”

They lapsed into silence after that, concentrating on the darkness which encroached upon them from all sides. The only sound was the soft splash of their footsteps, although they occasionally heard a shuffling nearby from one of the many sewer rats. The first time they’d heard that particular sound, on a previous night, Brad had swung his torch around and shrieked—a reaction he’d paid for dearly since.

“Careful there, captain twitchy,” Greg smirked, illuminating a particularly large rat sitting on one of the narrow ledges which ran along the tunnel wall, its sleek wet fur gleaming in the torchlight. Ryan heard Chip snicker quietly, followed by a thump.

The search was every bit as slow going and monotonous as usual. Not only did they have to stay alert for any sign of trouble, but the tunnel network branched off at intervals, in different directions, meaning they had to try to keep track of where they were in relation to the streets above, and where they’d already searched, with a rolled up map of the sewer system that was far too large to navigate easily. Every so often the tunnels would widen into a chamber, like the one in which they’d found the deputy, and they had to exercise extreme caution before entering what could potentially be a vampire nest.

“I still say we need night-vision goggles,” Brad remarked, after another bout of intensive torch thumping.

“I’m sure that Drew and the chiefs will take that under advisement, Brad,” Colin replied sardonically, pausing to consult the map as the tunnel diverged, “along with your idea for jet-propelled backpacks and fluorescent stakes.”

Brad thumped his torch once more, blinding Chip when the beam flared to life. “But the vamps can see us coming with torches.”

“Yeah, because fluorescent stakes are ideal for camouflage,” Chip replied dryly. He scrubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the spots in front of them.

“I wouldn’t worry about it, kitten,” Greg said to Brad over his shoulder, as he and Colin studied the map. “They’d _hear_ you first.”

“We need to go left,” Colin said, pointing to their location on the creased and somewhat damp paper. He had barely taken a step, however, when his radio crackled and a quiet voice came through.

Ryan exchanged a look with Jeff; they’d been told to keep radio silence unless absolutely necessary, so this wasn’t likely to be a simple check-in. Colin stopped and pulled the radio from his belt, turning the volume up slightly.

“This is Alpha One; say again, over.”

The radio blared again and, this time, the voice was instantly recognizable. “This is Beta One. We’ve found something on Sycamore Avenue, or rather underneath it, that I think you should see. Are you anywhere near our position, over?”

“Stand by, Marcus.” 

Colin brought the map back up to the light, his eyebrows knitting together in concentration. He spoke in low tones with Greg, occasionally pointing to parts of the map while checking their surroundings. Finally, he picked the radio up again.

“We should be about three blocks away to the East. We’ll be there soon, over.”

Marcus’ voice came back immediately, and Ryan thought he heard a smile in his tone. “We’ll be waiting. Over and out.” 

The group quickened their pace slightly, but stayed very much on their guard, moving steadily West through the maze of dark tunnels towards the rendezvous point. Ryan had lost all track of time, but it seemed like they walked for at least fifteen minutes before they saw the beam from a flashlight illuminate the tunnel ahead of them.

It turned out to be a younger member of the Betas—Ryan didn’t know his name, but he had a round, earnest face and always seemed very eager to prove himself. He immediately straightened to attention when he saw Colin approaching his position, his voice filled with something close to excitement as he gestured further along the tunnel. “This way, sir.”

They continued in silence, save for the squelch of their footfalls, and emerged into another chamber, though much smaller than the others they’d passed through. It was lighter here, too, with a welcome stream of crisp fresh air, thanks to the open manhole situated above another iron ladder, much like the one they’d climbed down several hours earlier across town. 

It was what was at the foot of this ladder that had drawn everyone’s attention. Ryan couldn’t see properly until several of the Betas had stepped aside to make way for Colin and, even then, it looked like nothing more than some kind of strange rock formation. No, not rock… 

Ryan followed Colin to get closer, his eyes fixed on the dark grey form, every step bringing a little more clarity; the lines were smoother than rock, the texture all wrong. He was three steps away when he could clearly recognize a human form. It was curled in upon itself, facing away from him, but undeniably human. 

“We were patrolling the street above when we found this manhole open,” Marcus was telling Colin. “They left her here.”

Ignoring everyone else, Ryan circled around to see the body properly and stopped, realization setting in. Jeff moved to his side, and Ryan could tell by his sharp intake of breath that he recognized her too. 

“The girl…”

It wasn’t another murder, as Ryan had feared. No, this was an execution. The execution of a vampire in disgrace—perhaps the most terrible fate their kind could imagine. Bound tightly to the ladder, with no hope of escape, the young vampire had been left to await the sunrise, and, as the first rays had breached the open hole, she had burned.

All that was left was ash; a perfect sculpture of her body, hopelessly trying to shield itself from the light, her mouth still open in a silent scream. A swift stake to the heart would have been infinitely preferable to the unimaginable pain that this death had inflicted. 

Ryan looked away in disgust, to find that Colin was watching him closely. The meaning is his eyes was as clear as if he’d spoken. _Are you okay?_ Masking the movement by running a hand through his hair, Ryan nodded his head a fraction, trying to convey his gratitude for Colin’s concern as their gazes locked for the briefest of moments.

“It’s the young vampire girl we saw when the Night Demon was loose,” Jeff said, crouching down to look at her face more closely. “Now we know what she was afraid of,” he added quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

“The Baron does not forgive easily,” Marcus said gruffly. “This little show was a reminder to all his followers that such a fate awaits them if they disobey him.” He reached out a hand to touch the girl’s hand, and it instantly crumbled to dust. 

“No mercy.”

The silence that followed this was broken by a scream from the street above and, almost at once, all the radios blared to life with urgent voices cutting across each other. There was one common denominator; demons. 

Colin and Marcus exchanged a look before leaping over the dead vampire onto the ladder and climbing, the Alphas and Betas scrambling to follow.


	24. Chapter 24

Ryan closed his locker with a snap and sank onto the bench nearby, his exhaustion tugging at his eyelids. Every time they fluttered closed, even for an instant, flashes of the night’s events—a bright whirl of claws, teeth, and blood—burst behind them like fireworks. He scrubbed his face in an attempt to keep his eyes open and the images at bay, but his thoughts still drifted inexorably back to pick the bones of an evening he’d rather forget; first the grisly discovery of the young vampire girl, and then what followed.

For a moment, when Ryan had emerged from that manhole onto the street, everything had looked eerily peaceful but it had merely been the calm before the storm. An ear-splitting shriek had issued from a nearby alleyway and several dark shapes had burst out of it. Bigger than any normal animal, and moving like nothing that Ryan had ever seen, they had scrambled away down the street, jumping from building to building as if gravity meant nothing.

Ravener Demons, Colin had called them—large, multi-limbed creatures with razor sharp teeth that slice the flesh from your bones as easy as a knife through butter; hard to hunt and even harder to kill. Colin had removed a large silver knife from his coat with one hand and grabbed his gun with the other, just as something large and black flew overhead with an unearthly screech. “ _And_ a Harpy. Looks like you could use a hand tonight, Marc.” 

That was all it had taken for the two teams to unite for what would be a four hour hunt—on both sides. It had been both a blessing and a curse that the streets stayed empty; it had kept civilians out of danger, but it had meant that the only living things left for the demons to attack were the Angels themselves… and the demons had had a distinct advantage. They were lightning fast, extremely agile, and as dark as the shadows they took refuge in. It had been, by far, their hardest fight yet. And Ryan knew it was only the beginning.

He bent down to tie his laces, glancing to the side as he did so to where Colin and Marcus sat, heads bent together, filling out their respective reports. They would include several injuries; Brad hadn’t been quick enough to avoid a bite to his arm (well, he had wanted more excitement than the sewers), and a couple of the Betas had taken their task as bait a little too far. One was suffering from mild concussion and the other’s leg had been stripped of flesh in one long, large gash. The latter had been taken straight to the base’s medical centre for emergency skin grafts.

“Hey, Ryan?”

Switching feet, Ryan looked up at Jeff who was still beside his open locker, donning his jacket. The door had long since closed behind Greg, Chip, and Brad—the latter still complaining loudly about his bandaged arm. Jeff had escaped relatively unscathed and looked much better for the change of clothes, although they couldn’t hide a scrape across his left cheek. His hair was also looking decidedly tussled.

“You want to get some breakfast somewhere? I don’t know about you but I’m starving.”

Ryan couldn’t prevent his eyes from automatically darting back to Colin for a split second, but he knew that Colin and Marcus would once again be returning to the sewers as soon as their reports were done and that they’d be gone until lunchtime at least. He smiled at Jeff. “I know just the place.”

 

“My god, these pancakes…”

The rest of the sentence was lost in another huge mouthful and a hum of approval, a small trail of blueberry juice dribbling out the corner of Jeff’s lips. Ryan smirked, finishing up his own plateful while inwardly debating whether he should have another helping. They were indecently moreish.

“I told you they were good.”

“Better than,” Jeff said between mouthfuls. He speared the last piece, scraping his spoon across the plate to gather the remaining sauce. “This is my new favourite place.”

Ryan settled back in his seat and curled one hand around his coffee, hiding a smile. The diner was one of _his_ favorite places, too; without really meaning to, his eyes drifted a few tables down to where he’d sat the first time he’d been with Colin.

“So, how are you doing? We haven’t caught up in a while.”

Ryan’s gaze jumped back to Jeff, who was now leaning back contentedly. Jeff’s face was open and friendly, but his words sent a spiral of guilt through Ryan’s full stomach; he was suddenly very aware of how much of his life had been devoted to Colin, leaving little time for anything or anyone else.

“I’m good,” he nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. “Well, apart from the whole apocalypse thing but we’re in the same boat for that one.”

An amused grimace crossed Jeff’s face. “Hopefully not the Titanic.” He stirred more sugar into his coffee slowly. “You and Colin seem very close now.”

As Ryan had already prepared himself for the strong possibility of this topic coming up, it didn’t come as a great shock. Still, his heart did beat a little faster. 

Mindful of his promise to Colin, but not wanting to lie to Jeff, Ryan settled for the truth… in as vague a way as possible. “Yeah, we’ve got a lot in common… he’s a great guy.” He paused a beat. “What about you and Greg?”

Jeff seemed amused by the subject change, but he allowed it. “Greg’s Greg. I’m not expecting anything. He’s always been more about fun than commitment.” He smiled, bringing the coffee cup to his lips, “And we’ve had a _lot_ of fun.”

“But he doesn’t know how you feel about him,” Ryan remarked, drinking the rest of his coffee in one large gulp and setting the empty cup back on the table. Jeff’s smile lingered around his mouth, one eyebrow lifting a fraction.

“Does Colin?”

Ryan’s lips twitched as he held Jeff’s intent gaze, the challenge clear.

The deadlock was broken by the waitress, who bustled over to clear their plates and asked if they’d like anything else. Both of them politely declined, and by the time she returned with the coffee pot to refill their cups, their conversation had moved onto a good-natured debate on whether Brad and Chip’s constant bickering was masking their own sexual tension. Their laughter drew the attention of a group sitting at the counter, momentarily interrupting an animated discussion about the sighting of a number of large animals in town overnight and theories as to what could have left the mysterious claw marks high on the walls of several houses.

 

The church clock was just chiming eleven when Ryan got back to his apartment. Weak sunshine was attempting to penetrate the threatening clouds, but barely created any shadows on the leaf littered sidewalk. His body sluggish with renewed exhaustion and burgeoning bruises, Ryan only half-heartedly returned the greetings from two of his neighbors on his way up the stairs and ignored the curious gaze of his landlady completely. He didn’t even bother to open the blinds upon entering his darkened apartment, instead slumping straight onto the couch with an audible sigh.

If the darkness wasn’t enough of a clue, one look at the empty rat cage on the small table beneath the window told him that Colin hadn’t made use of the spare key. The rats’ own little home away from home, Colin had said. With Marcus now staying permanently on the base, partly due to the long shifts but also so that a slayer was on hand at all times, more often than not Colin would stay at Ryan’s apartment rather than go back to his own large and rather drafty house, and of course the rats came too. Ryan certainly wasn’t complaining, although the gossip from his landlady had no doubt increased ten-fold.

Summoning the required energy, Ryan reached for the remote and flicked the TV on. It was still on his usual old movie channel. He frowned, both at the sudden glare that lit up the room and with concentration, attempting to identify the black and white film playing. If Colin was there, he’d be trying to name it first; it was an odd little game that they’d adopted. The flickering light lured his eyelids further closed, but he resisted. He didn’t want to sleep yet. 

His body had other plans, however, for he awoke with a jerk sometime later to the sound of his neighbors arguing and the smash of something against the wall. Ryan glanced at his watch. 11.34. Scrubbing his face a little too harshly, he turned the volume up on the TV and sat up a little straighter.

It was just after midday when Colin returned. Instantly alert, Ryan looked across questioningly as soon as he was through the door and received an almost imperceptible shake of the head in return, the exchange now so familiar that it no longer needed words. Colin removed two sleepy bundles from his pocket and deposited them into their cage on the way to the couch, pausing only to peel off his jacket before collapsing down next to Ryan with obvious exhaustion.

Lowering the volume of the TV to its previous level, Ryan allowed a small smile to creep forth as Colin settled against him, gently nudging his arm out of the way. Ryan brushed his lips across the top of Colin’s head and then rested his cheek there, content now to let his fatigue take control and leave the cinematic love story to play out its finale alone.

Their peace was unexpectedly shattered three hours later—not by the neighbors this time, but by a phone call from Drew. 

Another body had been found.


	25. Chapter 25

Cedarcrest was, in essence, an island among the trees. Miles of forest stretched outward in every direction, right up into the mountains, and only the highway cut a path through the expanse of green, running from northwest to southeast to link the town to the rest of the state. 

Colin had been directed to a dirt track off the highway right at the edge of town. Here the trees crept in amongst the buildings, slowly gaining ground. A police cordon stretched across the entrance, where asphalt met hard, compact soil, forcing Colin to pull up on his bike and dismount under the watchful gaze of one of the sheriff’s men.

“The road’s closed,” the man called unhelpfully. He moved to stand at the center of the cordon, puffing out his chest and crossing his arms in what he clearly thought was an intimidating gesture. Colin merely stowed his helmet on the bike and walked towards him purposefully.

“You can’t come down here,” the police officer said in a slow and firm voice, now apparently of the opinion that Colin was either hard of hearing or low in intellect.

“I’m expected,” Colin replied, not slowing his pace.

The officer’s expression grew stern. His hand was twitching towards his gun, a protest already forming on his lips, when a shout rang down the track behind him.

“Let him through, Chris. He’s with me.” 

The order caused the officer to visibly deflate. He grudgingly stood aside to let Colin duck under the tape, only grunting at Colin’s polite words of thanks.

Further up the track the sheriff stood waiting, and with him, to Colin’s surprise, was Drew. Colin could count on one hand the number of times that Drew had been out of the base on a case; it wasn’t a good sign. Walking towards them, Colin’s vision wavered for a moment and he looked down, forcibly blinking his tiredness away. He had to concentrate on this, no matter how exhausted he was or how much he wanted to be back in that apartment with Ryan. 

Ryan had, of course, immediately offered to accompany him, but it might have raised awkward questions and, besides, there was no point in both of them losing valuable sleep. He had compromised by promising to keep Ryan informed of any important developments.

The sheriff gave him his usual stern, appraising look when Colin reached him. 

“He’s up here,” he said finally, turning without another word and beginning to walk. Drew fell into step beside Colin.

“I wasn’t expecting to find you here,” Colin remarked quietly, glancing sideways at his boss.

Drew shrugged. “The chief’s demanding an update. Plus,” he lowered his voice further, keeping his eyes on the sheriff’s back a little way ahead, “I thought I might have to smooth the way a little, now that the body count’s building.”

Colin nodded. Two violent deaths within the space of a few weeks might not be unusual in a city, but Cedarcrest’s last public murder case was almost a decade ago. Of course, there had been many disappearances in that time, but they were put down to runaways or accidents out in the wilderness. Vampires and demons, the stuff of storybooks and legend, never even entered people’s minds. It was a town living in an illusion of safety and tranquility—an illusion that the Angels worked very hard to maintain.

“Marcus?” Colin enquired.

“He wasn’t in the base when the call came through.”

They fell silent as the sheriff slowed his pace ahead of them, coming to a stop at the edge of the track on the right, beside a police marker. When the sheriff glanced back at them, his jaw was clenched and his expression was one of utter revulsion.

“The first piece is here; it was found by a dog walker an hour ago.”

Drew and Colin stopped next to him.

“Oh Jesus,” Drew grimaced, looking down at what was unmistakably a human hand and part of a forearm.

Colin moved closer and crouched down on his haunches, observing the evidence with a clinical mind. Rigor had already set in, keeping the fingers clenched upwards like claws, but the skin was still a relatively good color and the blood pooled beneath it had not yet dried completely. It was a matter of hours, rather than days. “Where’s the rest?”

“In there,” the sheriff replied, gesturing to the tree line with the same expression of distaste. “Just… try not to disturb the scene too much.”

Careful to give the severed limb a wide berth, Colin plunged into the shadows of the trees, his hazel eyes scouring the ground for the hand’s former owner. He didn’t have to look far; most of what remained of the victim was resting awkwardly against a nearby tree. Colin approached carefully and crouched down beside it, suddenly glad that he hadn’t managed to eat yet. 

The face was almost unrecognizable—a mess of shredded bloody flesh—and a gaping hole had been gouged in the center of the torso. One leg had been torn right off, now lying several feet away, while the other seemed to be hanging by a few pale strands of tendon. The bed of leaves surrounding the body was coated in blood.

The soft snap of a twig alerted Colin to Drew’s presence before he spoke, his voice laced with all of the revulsion that Colin felt.

“Are we looking at number two?”

Colin shook his head slowly, scanning the body and the immediate vicinity for any evidence. “The ritual is performed with a special blade, which is then used to carve the specific runes. You see this?” He pointed at the gaping wound in the man’s chest. Drew, with some reluctance, took a step closer to look. “The edges are jagged and uneven, rather than cleanly cut, and there are no runes or anything else nearby as far as I can see. 

“No,” he continued, “it wasn’t part of the ritual, and a demon wasn’t responsible either. This man was literally ripped apart.”

Colin fell silent, staring through the trees. Despite feeling a certain amount of relief that it wasn’t demon that had slipped through the net the night before, a renewed sense of foreboding crept in alongside it. The slayer part of him could sense the presence of evil in the forest, its dark heart beating with a hidden malice that drew ever closer.

“So… the Baron isn’t responsible?”

Drew’s voice jarred Colin from his thoughts. He straightened up, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Not directly.”

“What does that mean?”

The gruff voice made them both turn; the sheriff was now standing at the edge of the trees, one hand resting on his sidearm—a casual reminder of his authority. Colin glanced at Drew, who nodded a fraction to indicate that it was safe to talk freely.

“The Baron didn’t kill this man, like he killed Bob, but the demonic ritual he’s attempting to complete is drawing other dark creatures here like a magnet. This,” he gestured back towards the body, “looks to be the work of a werewolf.”

“A werewolf?” the sheriff repeated in a tone of disbelief. “You’re telling me that they’re real, too?”

“I’m afraid so,” Colin replied, a little wearily. “Monsters exist all around us, and more are coming.” He paused, glancing briefly at Drew. “I think it’s time to put a curfew on the town.”

The sheriff continued to stare at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Is that really necessary? I mean, we could have a panic on our hands.”

Drew didn’t look particularly enthused by the idea either, no doubt thinking about having to explain the decision to his superiors. Enforcing a curfew meant acknowledging to the public that there was a big problem. But he kept any reservations he had to himself, which Colin was grateful for.

“Look, sheriff,” Colin began firmly, stepping closer to him, “the situation is worsening day by day, and we can’t deal with it effectively if we’re worrying about civilians. If we have any hope of getting a handle on this, we’re going to need your help. Tell them whatever you like—killer bear, rabid dog, I don’t care—just keep them off the streets once the sun is down or your morgue is going to start filling up fast.”

With that, he walked past the sheriff the way he’d come, trying to ignore the thump of fatigue in his head and the hollow unease in his stomach. Once he’d cleared the trees, he glanced up; the sun was now lost behind threatening clouds, dimming the light to a dusky quality.

“Colin!”

Colin stopped, allowing Drew to catch up. He could guess what Drew was about to say and decided to forestall it. “I’m sorry if that wasn’t diplomatic enough for you.”

However, Drew waved his apology away. “It needed saying, and you’re right.” He ignored Colin’s look of surprise. “I’ll smooth any ruffled feathers and get that curfew underway. I want you to go home and get some rest.” 

“What about the meeting? The chief—“

“ _I’ll_ deal with the chief. You’d probably scare the hell out of him anyway; you look dreadful.”

“Thanks, Drew,” Colin said, not entirely keeping the sarcasm out of his voice.

“And I don’t want to see you at the base until tomorrow night.” Drew put up a hand to halt the protest on Colin’s lips. “No arguments. Alpha Team needs a night off, and you’re not going to be any use to anybody unless you take care of yourself. We’ll handle it, now go.”

Colin knew when to admit defeat. He could hardly argue further when his eyelids were doing their utmost to close of their own accord. So when Drew turned back towards the sheriff, Colin obediently started to walk back down the track to his bike. 

Alone, the silence of the forest engulfed him. Every summer, this peaceful solitude attracted groups of hikers and nature-lovers in from the cities—valuable revenue for local businesses, of course—but the isolation of the town, which visitors seemed to crave so much, was also its weakness. Colin knew this only two well. Tellingly, not a single bird was singing today. There was no sign of any animal life at all… nothing except the sound of his own footfalls. The whole town was standing on a precipice. 

A sudden gust of wind brought with it a few solitary flakes of snow. Ahead the lone figure of the police officer stood at his post. He said nothing as Colin passed and slowly climbed back onto his bike, but Colin felt his curious gaze remain on him until he was out of sight.

The ride back to Ryan’s apartment took Colin through the heart of town. He watched people going about their business as normal and carefree kids playing in mounds of colorful leaves, their houses decorated ready for Halloween. For them, it was nothing but fun; a wonderful world of make-believe. They had no idea that a war was coming, that Colin and the Angels were the only thing standing between them and the real deal. He envied them.

 

By the time he pulled up at Ryan’s building, the snow had begun to fall in earnest. Ignoring the by now familiar look of curiosity and disapproval that the landlady always reserved for him, Colin headed straight for the stairs, retracing his earlier steps.

This time the couch was vacant. Removing his jacket, he headed for the bedroom and found Ryan sound asleep and snoring, his clothes scattered haphazardly in a path from the door. Smiling in spite of himself, Colin stripped down to his underwear and slipped under the covers, pressing close to the comforting heat of Ryan’s body. Ryan immediately turned and enveloped him in his limbs.

“You okay?” he mumbled groggily.

“I’m fine,” Colin murmured, pressing a kiss to his neck. “Go back to sleep.”

The snoring resumed a few minutes later. Colin closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax completely in Ryan’s embrace. 

War was almost upon them, but he still had one last precious day with Ryan before the darkness encompassed them all.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up! This is the last of the chapters I'd already posted on Livejournal. From next week I'll be posting the remaining chapters on both sites, posting twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays (again RL permitting). :) Now back to the story...

“No!”

“Get down!”

It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Bodies were flying in all directions, thrown with enough force to lift them several meters off the ground; Matt, the youngest member of Delta team, hit the trunk of a large tree and a grotesque snap was audible over the fear and confusion. Ryan knew, even as he fell, that his neck was broken. No. It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

“Stay back! All of you!”

Colin’s voice echoed in the cold night air and a strange hush fell. The snow that had fallen earlier crunched beneath his feet as he shifted position, his eyes fixed on the huge hulk of fur and teeth in the center of the wide circle of Angels. Beyond the circle, the dark shapes of several men, from both Delta and Alpha team, lay amongst the trees where they had fallen. Like Matt, they had crumpled to the ground like marionettes with their strings cut, and had remained absolutely still.

Ryan was positioned several paces to Colin’s right; he had a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, but his eyes were resting on Colin, a low drum beat of grief and fear accompanying the thrum of adrenaline that had pulsed through his veins during the chase. At the loud shout, the werewolf had also focused on Colin, teeth bared, eyes blazing; any humanity was long gone. Ryan knew that, any second now, he would attack again, and Colin’s small stash of silver bullets was almost exhausted.

This werewolf was bigger than most, and very strong. His vital organs were protected by dense fur and huge bulging muscles. Nothing but a direct shot to the heart would take him down, but that was proving to be next to impossible.

Ryan inhaled sharply as Colin moved one foot closer to the beast; he unconsciously mirrored the movement and, in doing so, broke a thick twig beneath his foot with a resounding crack. At the sound, the werewolf’s head snapped towards Ryan instead.

“Stay back,” Colin repeated without looking at him, taking another step to draw the monster’s gaze back to him. “Stand ready.”

Responding to Colin’s latest move in their ongoing game, the werewolf shifted onto all four paws, hackles raised, and a low growl reverberated around the clearing. Ryan’s whole body was screaming at him to pull Colin back, his muscles taut in readiness; it was hard to trust that Colin knew what he was doing when he was calmly stepping towards an eight foot creature that could tear him apart in seconds.

The tension hung thickly in the air as, for one long drawn-out moment, they stared each other down. Then, in the blink of an eye, the werewolf lunged, his mouth agape, teeth eager to sink into flesh. Colin dodged to the right and got a shot off. The bullet plunged into heaving chest, but didn’t even slow the monster down. It turned, swinging its arm around with deadly force. Colin ducked and rolled under it. The Angels took advantage of the distraction to throw heavy chains across the circle, wrapping them around the werewolf’s midriff. Ryan took hold of the chains behind Greg and pulled hard, digging his feet into the frozen ground to try to maintain a solid grip. 

It took all of the teams’ combined strength, but still they strained to hold him as he charged after Colin once more, roaring in rage and frustration. Colin aimed his gun again but it was knocked from his hand with one massive swipe of a clawed paw. As he dived to retrieve it, the beast surged forward. Ryan watched in horror as the chains around the creature stretched and snapped, falling limp in his hands.

He was running forwards, no thought or plan in his head other than getting to Colin, but he already knew that it was too late. The pure white snow was suddenly splashed scarlet as Colin’s throat was savagely ripped out, and his gaze met Ryan’s one final time as the light within them was extinguished forever. 

 

Ryan’s eyes shot open, his heart hammering against his ribcage and his breathing ragged. The room was dark and for several long moments he remained in the forest, unable to erase the vision of white and red. He sat up and pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes, slowing his breathing, reminding himself that it wasn’t real.

There was a short and succinct beep from his watch, and Ryan dropped his hands to look at it. Four o’clock. It felt as if he’d only closed his eyes for a few minutes, but it would soon be the start of his shift. He got out of bed and padded to the window, opening the blinds. The weak daylight that filtered through didn’t make much difference—the thick clouds and steady snowfall were effectively masking the sun. He’d have to hurry. Curfew officially began at sundown but this sort of weather only served to usher the night in more quickly.

He stepped out into the snow fifteen minutes later, a thick coat wrapped around his body. The street was silent and empty except for a lone woman hurrying into a building opposite, shopping bags bumping at her heels. Ryan set off at a brisk pace, partly to get to the base on time but also to keep his body temperature up. It was already at least five degrees below freezing and the snow was still falling fast.

Within a few minutes he was at the bridge, where the river was slowly losing its battle against the ice that was spreading outwards from both banks. Ryan heard the soft glug of the water still fighting its way through a narrow channel in the centre as he crossed overhead. By the time he reached the abandoned library, the light had faded significantly and he was almost as white as the surrounding landscape. The snow that covered him gradually melted as he made his way down to the basement, causing ice-cold drips to splash down his face. 

“Identify yourself.”

Ryan pulled his hood back as the wall slid back into place behind him, shaking the remaining snow off. The camera on the wall was trained on his face. “Alpha Four reporting for duty. Password: Halo.”

The door swung inwards and Ryan stepped into the light and warmth of the hub, which was a hive of activity with all manner of people rushing to and fro—an outward sign of the raised alert level that they were now all working under. The entry password was another, introduced in accordance with the guidelines for a high alert situation. There was only one level above it: critical… or, as Greg called it, ‘we’re totally fucked.’ 

Ryan scanned the sea of faces automatically as he made his way around the edge to the Alpha room. Entering the team room and finding it empty, he ducked back out and stopped a passing tech.

“Hey, have you seen Colin?”

The man blinked. “…I think he’s out with the Gammas.”

Ryan hummed an acknowledgement without looking at him, barely noticing the tech hurrying off; he’d just spotted Jeff talking to Drew on the far side of the hub. Their conversation seemed to be wrapping up as, before Ryan could even open his mouth to call, Jeff had turned and was walking back towards the Alpha room. When he noticed Ryan he gave a weak smile.

“Hey.”

“What’s happened?” Ryan asked apprehensively, not liking Jeff’s expression.

“We’ve got another missing person,” Jeff replied as they entered the Alpha room together.

Ryan swore under his breath, peeling off his coat as he headed for his locker. “Who?”

“The minister’s daughter; she was reported missing an hour ago… never made it home from choir practice.”

“Christ.” Ryan pulled off his sodden boots and grabbed his regulation boots out of his locker, which were infinitely sturdier and heavier. “Where’s the rest of the team?”

Jeff leant against the adjacent locker. “They’ve gone to the weapons room to get armed. Apart from our fearless leader, that is. He’s not here.”

“Oh?” Ryan said, feigning ignorance.

“Yeah, according to Drew he’s out with Gamma team searching. He’ll be back soon, though.”

He’d barely finished speaking when the door opened and Colin walked through with Drew, in the midst of a conversation.

“…report, but any potential footprints have either been covered with fresh snow or obliterated by other prints.” Colin nodded at Jeff and Ryan, who had both straightened up inquisitively, and poured himself a strong black coffee from the pot. “And the Betas aren’t having any more luck underground, by the sounds of it.”

Drew crossed his arms, looking pensive. “Maybe she was taken out of town.”

Colin shook his head, sipping from his steaming cup. “She’s still here. I’m sure of it.” His last few words were half drowned by a yawn as he collapsed into a chair. 

“You need a break?” Drew asked, his expression turning concerned, “I can get someone else to—“

“No, I’m fine. Just give me five minutes to drink this, and then I’ll take the Alphas out and check across the river.”

Drew looked like he wanted to say something, but instead just gave a curt nod and walked out.

“So no sign, huh?” Jeff asked from beside Ryan.

“Not a hint,” Colin sighed. He cradled the coffee cup in both hands to warm them, his eyes straying to the cage by the wall where two pointed noses had emerged from a tunnel and were sniffing the air hopefully.

“Well, it’s not over yet,” Jeff said bracingly. “I’ll go tell the rest of the team that you’re back.”

Ryan, who had resumed tying his bootlaces, watched him go out of the corner of his eye. Once the door had closed, he moved to rest his hands on Colin’s shoulders and began a gentle massage.

“Mmm. Keep that up and I’ll go to sleep,” Colin murmured, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back to rest on Ryan’s abdomen. “Mike was asking after you,” he added after a minute or so of comfortable silence. “He wants you back on his team, but I said he couldn’t have you.” He opened his eyes again to smile up at Ryan, but it was almost immediately replaced with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

Ryan blinked. Having Colin so close had brought back the memory of his horrific dream, something of which had obviously shown on his face. He shook his head, flashing a smile. “Nothing… just a stupid dream I had.” Not wanting to go into detail, he asked, “Did you get any sleep?” 

“Only a couple of hours,” Colin said, taking another gulp of coffee. He looked up at Ryan again, an amused glint in his eyes. “Would it be too corny to admit that I sleep better next to you?”

Ryan smiled, the warmth blooming in his heart chasing away the last remnants of his dream. “Right now, I love corny,” he murmured, leaning down to place a brief kiss on Colin’s lips, all too aware that their time alone was waning. With one last squeeze of Colin’s shoulders, he let his hands slip away, moving to sit down. Moments later they were joined by the rest of the Alphas, armed to the hilt and ready to go.

 

The meagre amount of daylight had vanished by the time they reached ground level. The snow wasn’t falling quite as heavily, but enough that it still significantly impeded visibility and muffled the approach of any would-be attacker. There had already been reports of several small demons in the outer lying areas, which were interfering with the ongoing search. The streets in the centre of town, however, were utterly silent. With the curfew in place, they were the nightly domain of the Angel teams. 

Crossing the icy river, the Alpha team split into pairs to cover a wider area; Ryan was paired with Chip. Misty breath rising against the snowflakes, they searched every dark corner and alley for the slightest hint of a lead, methodically working their way up and down their assigned streets. Halfway down the second street, Ryan noticed a police patrol car slowly rumbling through the snow across the intersection ahead, like the somber head of a funeral cortege. It didn’t surprise him; although the Cedarcrest police department had surrendered their jurisdiction to the Angels while the sun was down, the sheriff and his men still maintained their nightly patrols to deal with regular problems and curfew evaders, and Ryan knew that the missing girl was something that they couldn’t ignore.

A muffled clang sounded to Ryan’s right, followed by a curse, and Chip reappeared from behind a dumpster. 

“Rat,” he muttered by way of explanation. 

Ryan had barely taken a step when there was muffled gunfire from somewhere to their right, the direction in which Ryan knew Greg and Jeff were searching. He exchanged a look with Chip and grabbed his radio.

“Hey, Greg, do you guys need any help, over?”

There was a few moments of silence and then Greg’s voice crackled through, slightly out of breath. “No, it was just a little Kuri Demon. I’ve packed it off back to hell.”

“Missed the first two shots, though,” Jeff called in the background.

Ryan only caught the beginnings of a smart-ass reply before the radio cut off. He smirked, returning it to his belt and resumed searching. His thoughts strayed to Colin as he shone his flashlight under a row of parked cars laden with snow; as much as he liked Chip, he would have preferred to stay with Colin tonight, especially after his dream. And he hadn’t heard anything from him since they’d separated. Apart from Greg, the only snippets they’d heard over the radio were other teams reporting their lack of progress in the search and the odd confirmation of another demon kill.

As expected, Ryan’s torch illuminated nothing under the cars but a mush of snow and leaves. He straightened, stretching his back. The green cardboard witch hanging from the porch of the house to his left swung to and fro in a blast of icy wind. Apart from the Halloween decorations that adorned many of the houses, they’d seen no sign of life… it was like walking through a horror movie, or an eerie ghost town at an amusement park; monsters around every corner, waiting to jump out. Except in this town, they weren’t acting.

As Ryan moved to step back onto the curb, movement at the end of the street caught his eye. Several dark figures were moving swiftly up the sidewalk. Ryan squinted, trying to make out their identity. Greg and Jeff, perhaps?

Looking up, one of the figures spotted Ryan and, in a flash, the group disappeared into an adjacent alleyway, but not quick enough to prevent Ryan from seeing the unmistakable luminescence and, beneath that, the gleam of ice blue.

“Ryan! Where are you going?”

Ryan had started moving without realizing it. He silently beckoned Chip to follow and slipped the radio from his belt again, speaking quietly but clearly.

“Alpha One, come in.”

By the time Colin had acknowledged them, Ryan and Chip had reached the alleyway. Ryan cautiously peered around the corner, then, seeing it empty, darted into it.

“There are three vamps heading your way; they’ve just cut across onto Waterview.”

Chip’s expression, which had been a little bewildered at Ryan’s behavior, instantly changed to a combination of surprise and apprehension. There hadn’t been a vamp sighting in weeks. This could be the lead they were hoping for. Or, as Ryan feared as he followed their tracks through the snowy alley, still awaiting Colin’s reply, it could be the Baron finally positioning his most prized pieces on the chess board to end the game.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now for the rest of the story. I'll be posting a new chapter every Monday and Thursday from now on (RL permitting). If I can't post for some reason on the scheduled day, I'll post as soon as I possibly can afterwards. :)

A heavy veil of white fell across Waterview Avenue as the weather tightened its grip once more. The houses and cars became indistinct shapes around Ryan and Chip, the footprints in front of them filling in fast. Colin’s orders had been clear; follow the vampires, but at a safe distance—do not engage. Ryan had sensed the trace of anxiety beneath Colin’s stern tone, but he wasn’t about to go hurtling in against orders. Not this time.

He moved swiftly, Chip close behind, thankful for the snow muffling his steps and cursing the thick flakes continuing to fall. All of his concentration was fixed on the road ahead, attempting to penetrate the blizzard to remain on the shadowy figures flitting in and out of sight in the distance. He occasionally whispered an updated location into his radio to aid the rest of the team, who he knew were closing in on either side.

Ryan and Chip reached the end of Waterview and crossed into another dark alleyway that ran in a northeasterly direction through a more neglected neighborhood. They had to sidestep white-topped piles of trash, and the odd cat rooting through them. Once or twice Ryan pulled Chip down flush against the damp wall, certain that they’d been caught out. But it appeared that luck was on their side.

The icy wind, which had been kept at bay in the alley, surged upon them once more as they emerged at the far end. Staying low, they took advantage of a beat-up old Buick for cover whilst scanning the surrounding area.

Ryan had just spotted the dark outlines of his quarry standing in the shadow of a crumbling industrial building across the road when movement to his right caught his eye. His hand jumped to his belt and the assorted weapons nestled there. However, the tension in his face slackened almost immediately into relief as his eyes swung around to the figures materializing out of the snow.

Colin slid noiselessly down next to Ryan, Brad shadowing the move behind him. “What’s the situation?” he asked. His whisper still managed to convey the absolute authority of a command.

“Three, maybe four vamps. Ten o’clock.”

Colin slowly raised his head, just enough to take a look over the snow-covered hood, and then ducked down again. “It’s possible they have the girl somewhere close by.”

“I wonder what they’re waiting for,” Chip murmured to no one in particular. He was nearest the front of the car, keeping a close eye on them past the jagged edge of a smashed headlight.

The answer to this came moments later when more figures slid out of the shadows to join the waiting group. They stood together, a dark huddle, conveying orders or perhaps receiving reports then, as one, they began to move again.

“Okay, stay close,” Colin said, his voice low and quick. He moved from the cover of the car and slipped across the road, flattening himself against the side of the dilapidated building to peer around the corner.

Ryan followed, Brad and Chip on his heels. From their new position, they were able to spot Greg and Jeff approaching cautiously from the opposite direction. Colin signaled to them and slid around the edge of the building, the whole of his team now right behind him.

Beyond the looming shape of the industrial building, once a factory of some sort, there was a scattering of other, smaller, disused structures. Most of the sprawling weeds surrounding them had been covered in snow, but here and there they broke the surface, climbing the walls and creeping through broken window panes. The soft blanket of white lent a morsel of beauty to the bleak wasteland.

In single file they moved, Ryan right behind Colin, and though he looked, Ryan couldn’t see any sign of the vampires in the darkness. The last working streetlight was too far behind them to be any use. It was Colin’s superior senses that were needed now, and he purposefully threaded his way between trees and buildings with feather-light steps.

The final building they came to was in an even worse state of repair. Most of the roof was missing, its metal girders reaching up like large skeletal fingers into the stormy sky. Arming himself, and indicating that the rest of the team should do the same, Colin silently stepped into the building.

With the roof intact the interior of the building would have been pitch black but, open to the elements, the floor glowed dimly white, as if leading them inside. The floorboards beneath them creaked softly with each step. It was a little warmer at least, out of the brutally cold wind.

Ryan was brought to an abrupt halt by Colin’s arm, which shot out to prevent him walking any further. He felt Chip in turn bump into his back. Colin pointed down and Ryan followed the pale line of his finger, seeing, with a jolt of surprise, that the floor ahead of them was gone. A large, gaping hole lay where it had once been, leading down to some kind of underground room—presumably a basement or storeroom.

Colin moved to the left, edging around the hole at a safe distance, and Ryan followed. There was no sign of movement, nor any noise in the building at all. The snow continued to fall, drifting down through the hole wherever it led. Ryan attempted to peer over the edge, but it was like trying to see into a well; the snowflakes were quickly swallowed by darkness. Was the girl down there somewhere? Maybe tied up and gagged, unable to make a sound, terrified of the monsters who had stepped out of her nightmares and come for her. Or maybe they’d killed her already.

Next to the far wall they found worn wooden steps leading down. Many were broken or breaking; some were missing completely. Ryan was careful to step where Colin stepped, ready to grab hold of him instantly if the rotten wood fell out beneath his feet. As they descended, the wall to Ryan’s left changed from broken wood to cold damp stone, and when his feet finally met solid ground it had a texture far softer than wood or concrete.

“They’re not down here,” Colin murmured in front of him. Ryan took his word for it, unable to see more than a foot in front of him, except upwards to the hole above them through which snowflakes still drifted. It was then that a horribly familiar smell reached their nostrils.

“Fuck, Brad, please tell me that’s you,” Greg said in a low voice. Brad’s reply was inaudible but no doubt obscene.

A flashlight clicked on—Colin’s. The beam illuminated the floor first, or rather the lack of it; it was nothing more than compacted soil. Colin slowly raised his arm. The centre of the room was covered in a small heap of snow, but otherwise it seemed bare. Then something on the floor ahead caught the light. There was a wooden partition further along the wall that jutted out a couple of meters, dividing the room, and beyond that the earth had been disturbed.

No one in the group seemed overly enthusiastic about finding out the cause but they all dutifully followed Colin as he stepped closer. Ryan knew what they were dealing with the moment the symbols on the floor came into view, but he still wasn’t prepared for the sight that awaited him against the far wall.

“Oh Christ.”

The mutilated body was naked; what Ryan took at first to be clothing was in fact the rats feasting upon what remained of it. They scattered as the light hit them, retreating to dark holes along the wall. It wasn’t the girl, as Ryan had expected, but an adult male whom Ryan didn’t recognize.

It was obvious that the corpse had been there for some time, although the freezing conditions had significantly delayed the decomposition process. The skin was mottled and sunken so that the teeth were bared in a deathly grimace, the pools of blood long since dried from the slashed throat and wrists. The eye sockets were empty and, from the bite marks around them, Ryan assumed that the soft flesh within had been eaten. He turned away with a grimace.

Colin’s gaze was focused not on the body but on the runes carved into the earth, stained with dried blood. He cursed vehemently under his breath, and the magnitude of the discovery dawned on Ryan. If this man had been the ritual’s first victim, then the girl was to be the third—not the second. In the space of a few minutes the game had jumped ahead, and the Baron was close to winning.

A tempest of thoughts and images filled Ryan’s mind, of a possible future so close to becoming a horrific reality. He wasn’t aware of anything amiss until he was forcibly knocked sideways. Managing to raise his hands to brace his impact against the wall, his brain scrambled to make sense of what was going on as the sound of fighting broke out around him. The breath was momentarily knocked out of Ryan’s lungs but he instantly turned and adopted a fighting stance, his hands flying to his belt.

The beam of Colin’s flashlight swung around the room wildly as it dropped and rolled, revealing broken glimpses of utter chaos and ice-blue eyes. And then cold hands closed around Ryan’s throat, pushing him backwards. He brought his arms up, knocking the hands away, and at the same time kicked out hard. His foot connected with something solid but he felt other hands close around his arms and legs, holding him fast.

Adrenaline spiking with fear, Ryan struggled and managed to free one of his arms. In an instant his fingers had closed around a stake and he struck out directly in front of him, where he could discern the vague outline of a figure. It was a lucky shot and he felt the body dissolve around his hand, but then he was restrained even more tightly and his struggles proved futile. His luck could only hold so long when he was fighting blind.

Then several things happened at once. There was a grunt to Ryan’s right and the hands restraining him on that side lifted; several more flashlights clicked on, almost blinding him; the vampire on his left bore down on him for the kill.

Ryan swung his free arm around, trying to blink away the spots dancing in front of his eyes. He caught the side of the vampire’s head, enough to knock his bite off course. Hissing in displeasure, the vampire redoubled his efforts and in the light Ryan could now see the glistening tips of his teeth as he edged closer.

Colin was suddenly there, ripping his attacker away from him with considerable force. Breathing hard, and now able to look around properly to take stock of the situation, Ryan was relieved to see most of the team still on their feet and fighting. Chip was on the floor, but that seemed to be because of a regular injury rather than a bite—his hand was wrapped around his left ankle. The fact that Brad was standing in front of him protectively didn’t surprise Ryan. As much as the two of them liked to trade barbs and insults, everyone knew that there was a deep-seated friendship and respect at its core.

The vampire that Colin had thrown across the room realized that their defeat was imminent and ran for the stairs, hissing to the others. Ryan joined Colin in the pursuit. They weren’t getting away so easily.

He took the stairs two at a time, praying that they’d hold his weight; he didn’t have time for a more cautious approach. By the time he’d reached the top, the vampires were several meters ahead of him, Colin on their heels. One of them leapt right over the gaping hole in the floor but he became an easy target. A stake from Colin hit his heart dead center. He seemed to hang suspended in the air for a moment before his body burst to dust and sprinkled down amongst the snow.

The other two were almost at the door. Ryan put his head down and ran as fast as he could, throwing himself forward to catch the legs of the nearest. They both tumbled to the ground, but the stake Ryan had been holding fell out of his grip and rolled away into the darkness. The creature turned on him and, like a man holding a tiger by the tail, Ryan used all his strength to keep hold of the safer end while he hastily considered his options. When the vampire unexpectedly turned to dust in his hands, Ryan looked up to find Jeff next to him.

Colin slammed the remaining vampire against the wall, bits of masonry crumbling to the floor at their feet. “Where’s the girl?”

Ryan pushed himself up and moved closer with Jeff. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that Greg, Brad, and a hobbling Chip weren’t far behind.

“The girl,” Colin repeated more harshly. “Tell me where she is.”

The cold blue eyes of his captive gave nothing away; he regarded all of them with a smug superiority, despite his precarious position. Colin put an arm across his throat and pushed.

“You want to do this the hard way? How about I chain you up outside and wait for the dawn?”

The tiniest flicker of something appeared in the vampires eyes for a moment. “You’re too late,” he rasped.

As if sparked by his words, there was a low rumbling sound and the floor began to tremble.

“Earthquake?” Brad asked, looking alarmed. He had to reach out a hand to steady himself on the wall, grabbing hold of Chip with the other.

“No,” Colin replied, looking skyward as a bright flash illuminated it briefly.

Eerie cries could be heard through the swirling wind, dark and triumphant. The sound made the hairs on Ryan’s arms stand on end as all of their radios burst to life at once. The girl was dead. The war was beginning.

Colin’s fierce gaze returned to the vampire as the tremors abated. “The Baron told you to lead us here. To show off his masterpiece and then kill us, right?”

“Didn’t go quite according to plan though, did it?” Ryan said, picking up a stake that had rolled across the floor and bumped against his foot. “The Baron won’t win.”

The vampire merely laughed loudly, the sound bouncing around them in a series of mocking echoes. “You’re all going to die.”

Ryan tossed the stake to Colin, who twirled it in his hand and then slammed it into the vampire’s chest.

“You first.”


	28. Chapter 28

“Wakey wakey.”

Shielding his eyes from the harsh strip lighting overhead, Ryan shifted onto his side to squint at the figure leaning in the doorway. It took a couple of blinks for Jeff’s face to swim into focus. The murmur of conversation drifted in from the room beyond.

“What time is it?”

“Just gone oh fifteen hundred,” Jeff said, stepping inside. “I thought you’d appreciate a shower and something to eat before we go out again. Here, have this for starters.”

Ryan scrubbed a hand across his face and sat up, accepting the cup of coffee that Jeff held out. After an exhausting night dealing with the surge of demons that had appeared with the third sacrifice, the whole team had forgone going home, stumbling into the base’s Alpha quarters to sleep fully clothed instead. The cots around Ryan were now empty—apparently everyone else was up already.

“Any news?” he asked, taking a sip and suppressing a moan of appreciation.

Jeff snorted mirthlessly and sat on the cot opposite. “None of the good kind.”

Ryan’s gut clenched and he lowered the cup from his lips, waiting for the blow, but it wasn’t what he expected.

“The powers that be are sending in the National Guard.”

“The National Guard?” Ryan repeated, frowning. “To do what?”

“Officially? To evacuate the town.”

Ryan inclined his head—he’d thought it might come to that. He was more interested in their other plans. “And unofficially?”

Jeff’s face twisted into a resigned kind of grimace. “Ensure they have a back-up plan in place if it looks like we’re going to fail.”

“Fuck.” Ryan was under no illusions as to what that back-up plan would be, and it would take out half the state. He put his cup aside and swung his legs out from beneath the blanket, carefully stretching his back before standing up. They needed to get back out there as soon as possible. “Where’s Col?”

Jeff rose and together they headed for the door. “He’s been in with Drew for most of the day, and apparently he’s pissed as hell—not that I blame him. As you can imagine, the news spread pretty quickly.”

The first words that Ryan heard as he passed through the doorway were, “—Fucking suits leave us to do our jobs,” uttered by a glowering Brad.

“Sleeping beauty’s awoken, I see,” Greg remarked, looking up. Next to him sat Chip, his foot resting on an adjacent chair, his injured ankle strapped up. All three of them were wearing expressions worthy of someone attending a wake. “You missed the start of World War Three, dude.”

“Yeah, I heard,” Ryan said, passing the table in favor of the door. “I’m going to go find Colin.”

“You might get your head bitten off,” Jeff warned, sinking into a chair next to Greg.

“Or worse,” Greg added darkly.

Ryan didn’t slow his pace or look back. Reaching the door, he murmured, “I’ll take my chances.”

He quickly discovered that Colin was no longer with Drew, directed instead to the gym. Judging by the nervous look of the tech he’d asked and the steady resounding thuds echoing down the corridor, the gym equipment was being thoroughly tested.

Unsurprisingly, when Ryan pushed the door open, he found that Colin was alone. Colin didn’t hear his arrival, too intent on using his fists and feet to beat the hell out of the rapidly deteriorating punch bag. A final punch knocked it clear off its chain and onto the floor.

“I think it’s dead,” Ryan commented, still in the doorway.

Colin gave the offending bag one last kick and then turned, some of the fight draining out of his eyes. Ryan took that as a sign to move closer.

“Feel better?”

“Not really.”

Ryan couldn’t think of any response that didn’t sound empty and feeble, so he silently watched Colin tear off his gloves and toss them onto the mutilated bag.

“You know what gets me most?” Colin burst out, turning back to him. “I’ve spent the last twenty years protecting those assholes but when it comes right down to it, they still don’t trust me to get the job done.”

“I’m sure it’s not a question of trust—“

“Oh, it is,” Colin cut across him fiercely. “They’ve made that pretty clear. And I’m going to damn well prove them wrong.” He started to push past towards the door but Ryan caught his wrist.

“Hey.”

Colin exhaled heavily but didn’t fight the embrace that he was pulled into.

“Whatever happens, you have the team and, hell, the whole damn base behind you,” Ryan said softly. He turned his head slightly so that his lips brushed across Colin’s ear. “And me.”

Some of the rigidity slipped from Colin’s body and there was the hint of a faint smile around his lips when he looked up, conveying his appreciation.

“Okay,” he said, squeezing Ryan’s hand. “I need to grab a shower and then we’ll go kick ass.”

Ryan nodded. “I need a shower too… if you don’t mind some company, that is,” he added with a suggestive smirk, intent on lightening the mood.

A real smile lifted the shadows from Colin’s face. “I don’t mind.”

 

“When will the National Guard get here?” Jeff asked as they ascended to street level thirty minutes later.

“Some point tomorrow, I should think.”

Ryan glanced at Colin from across the elevator, his mind on other things—namely the close call they’d had in the showers when he’d given into temptation and chanced a brief kiss. They had almost been caught by a member of Delta team, who had entered only seconds later. There hadn’t been an opportunity to speak much after that, not freely anyway, and Colin’s expression had returned to brooding during their brief visit to the cafeteria for breakfast/dinner.

“A whole lot of gung ho soldiers,” Greg muttered. “Just what we need.”

“Evacuating the town will take them a couple of days,” Colin said, lifting his hood up over his head. “That should give us some time, and we still have a little under a week until Halloween. The Baron won’t complete the ritual until then.”

“I’m more worried about the guy with his finger on the trigger,” Jeff said. “He’ll stay safe in Washington.”

“We’ll just have to ensure he has no reason to pull it,” Colin said firmly as the elevator came to a halt.

Ryan was pleased to see that the snow had stopped sometime during the day, although there was still a substantial amount left on the ground. The sun was still clinging to the horizon as they left the library, its deep golden hues painting the tip of the broken roof with warmth. It felt good to see it after days of heavy snow-laden cloud, however briefly. At ground level the shadows were lengthening across the snow, the falling dusk tinting the white a pale blue.

“We’ll go north,” Colin said, stepping lightly through the rusted gates. “The portal that opened last night wasn’t too far from where we were; it’s a good place to start.”

The moment that the sun went down, radio calls started coming in of demon sightings. Although out of sight in daylight, they were a constant presence now and their numbers were steadily increasing. The sooner the town was evacuated the better.

It was just after eight when another radio call came through, one that made the whole group stop in their tracks; it was a code one. This time it was Delta team in trouble and Colin had to radio them several times before he was able to get a location. All Ryan was able to garner, other than that, was that they were running.

The Alphas ran flat out in their direction but there was a lot of ground to cover and they received no further transmissions to aid them. When they got to Delta team’s last confirmed position, there was no sign of them. Colin was loathe to split the team but he had little alternative, sending two pairs to fan out on either side of Ryan and himself. Chip was limping slightly from running so hard on his injured ankle, but his expression was completely focused.

As they continued more slowly, Ryan noticed how deathly quiet it had become, almost as if everything around them was holding its breath. And, more than that, something about the whole scene seemed familiar somehow. It made the skin on the back of his neck prickle.

He had barely begun to analyze and pinpoint the cause of this intense feeling when he heard the steady thud of something approaching, and seconds later a huge hulking shape appeared.

“Shit,” Colin gasped. He swung around, pulling Ryan down low as the werewolf bounded in their direction. Ryan braced himself but the creature didn’t even slow, passing within a meter of their position and off into the night.

Colin was immediately off on its heels with a yell to the rest of the team, and Ryan, still dazed, hurried to catch up. As they ran, Greg and Jeff appeared from the left and soon after came Brad and Chip, joining them to run alongside. Their flurry of questions was cut short by a loud howl ahead.

“Fuck!” Chip exclaimed.

“I guess it was too much to hope for that the damn thing would leave us alone,” Greg said as he drew his gun.

While Colin had a stash of silver bullets for his gun, the rest of the team had to make do with regular lead ones. They wouldn’t kill a werewolf but they could slow it down; sometimes that was enough to get a clean shot with silver. Judging by the dark drops on the ground, someone in Delta team had already got a shot at it.

They followed the trail, swerving left across a dirt road into the woods. It made sense that the werewolf would instinctively head back to the shelter of the trees. Ryan could hear it ahead, its heavy breaths hanging in the air.

Then there was the sound of more footfalls to their left. For one crazy moment, Ryan thought that it was a second werewolf but it was a bruised and bloody Delta team who emerged out of the darkness. Both teams pulled up, weapons bared, but upon recognizing each other quickly resumed the chase.

“Report,” Colin barked.

“It ambushed us on Park, took out Paxton before I could stop it. It would have wiped us all out but we managed to get a couple of clean shots to the shoulder, which made it think twice.”

It was Steve, the Delta captain, who answered. He had a large gash across his forehead, blood smeared from the repeated act of wiping the flow away from his eyes.

“And your radio?”

“Smashed. I wasn’t even sure if you’d received my last message. You think we’ll get more back up?”

“Not in time,” Colin replied grimly, dodging a low-hanging branch. “We’ll just have to do this ourselves.”

“We came across some old rope by an abandoned building down the street,” one of the other Deltas piped up, a relatively new recruit in his twenties who was lugging it on his back. “Not sure if it’ll be much use, though.”

“Probably not,” said Greg, never one for beating around the bush.

Colin abruptly stopped and held up his hand for silence. There was a break in the trees ahead—a small clearing by the looks of it—and the werewolf was visible in the centre of it. It seemed to have been distracted by the moon rising above the tree line, spilling silver light into the clearing. The creature looked skyward and sniffed the air before letting out a long, mournful howl.

Using the sound as cover, Colin instructed the teams to fan out around the clearing to effectively block any escape route. Ryan didn’t move very far, deliberately keeping Colin in his line of sight as they slowly advanced. Now that he had a clear view of the creature, Ryan could see the wound to its shoulder and the dark trail of blood matting the fur underneath. As he watched, it shifted its stance, adopting an unmistakably aggressive posture. It had caught their scent.

A yelp of pain from among the trees followed by a muffled curse broke the silence and, with frightening speed, the werewolf turned and growled, his burning eyes fixed on the position the sound had come from. It started to move. Colin’s finger tightened on the trigger of his gun, aiming straight for the creature’s heart, but another shot rang out before he could fire and the werewolf lunged.

“Shit,” Colin cursed. “Everyone move in now!”

More shots sounded as the two teams closed in on the creature, successfully pushing it back into the clearing where it staggered and reared. Ryan, a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, was focused intently on the fearsome animal, looking for a weak spot, when a thick twig broke beneath his foot with a loud crack. He stared down at it for several seconds and then back up at the chaos around him, his heart suddenly gripped by ice. No. It couldn’t be.

Even as he thought it, several men were thrown at least ten feet, crashing into the trees with such force that they crumpled. Ryan recognized Chip amongst them; his injured ankle had critically slowed his reaction time.

“Stay back!” Colin shouted. “Don’t get too close!”

Ryan looked across at him, his breath billowing out more quickly as his heart rate accelerated painfully. Colin was edging closer. The werewolf dropped onto all fours with a deep growl, teeth bared. Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but any words he might have uttered were caught in his dry throat. Then the werewolf lunged. Colin ducked and rolled to the side, his bullet grazing one of the creature’s massive arms. The silver left a burning trail of red amongst the gray. Enraged further, the werewolf swung around and attacked again. Colin dodged, another bullet plowing into chest muscle.

For Ryan, watching in a kind of daze, everything seemed to slow, and the sounds around him dimmed to a dull buzz at the edge of his subconscious. Distantly he heard shouts but he could make no sense of them. Figures around him were moving, throwing something across the circle. The rope. It flashed across his vision as it passed the battling pair in the center. He heard someone shout his name—maybe Greg. They were trying to restrain the beast but it was no use. Ryan was unable to tear his eyes away as the rope broke; he saw the gun flying through the air, knocked out of Colin’s hand into the darkness. He watched Colin fall to the ground.

And it was the sound of his body crunching into the snow that broke Ryan’s paralysis. Everything rushed back at once, as if someone had suddenly turned up the sound on a television set. But even as he started to run forward, a desperate cry tumbling from his lips at the image of crimson-stained snow filling his mind, quick as a flash, Colin rolled to the side and withdrew something from his boot. The next moment it was embedded in the very center of the werewolf’s chest.

It reared and staggered, and as its agonized howl echoed across the clearing, the moonlight clearly illuminated the ornate handle of the silver knife that had been driven straight into its heart. A strange hush descended as it finally fell, with one last shuddering breath. Then all was still.


	29. Chapter 29

“Another bandage for your collection,” Jeff remarked. “At this rate you’ll be a full Egyptian mummy within a week.”

“I think this one needs to be lower, though,” Brad said, scrutinizing it. “We can still see his face.”

“Ha ha,” Chip deadpanned over the snickers. “You know, as soon as they let me out of here, I’m gonna kick your ass.”

“Save it for the vamps and demons, man,” Greg said, patting his shoulder.

Chip gingerly shifted position to sit up a little straighter. “How are the others doing?”

“They’re pretty good considering,” Colin replied. “Just cuts and bruises, although Matt has a couple of cracked ribs.”

“And Paxton?”

All eyes turned towards the prone figure at the far end of the infirmary, attached to wires and tubes. Steve, the Delta captain, was at his bedside.

“Not so good. That thing damn near tore him apart.”

Colin’s gaze raked over Steve’s shadowed face, noting the furrowed brow and harsh lines, down to where his hands lay tightly clasped, knuckles white. Colin knew the man was blaming himself, going back through every detail in his mind, trying to find a way that he could have prevented the fate of his friend. Colin knew because he had been to that black place himself in the hours after Wayne’s death. It turned everything to torture and doubt, stripping away all comfort.

“It’s a miracle no one else was seriously hurt,” Jeff murmured.

At these words, Colin’s eyes flicked across to the one member of his team who had remained tight-lipped since their return. Ryan’s gaze was fixed on Steve but his jaw tightened perceptibly. More than anything at that moment, Colin wished he could talk to him freely.

“Colin?” Drew called from the doorway, drawing his attention. “Could I have a word in my office?”

Masking his grimace, Colin stepped away from the group. He couldn’t imagine it being anything good. “Sure.”

 

“Have a seat,” Drew said once they reached the modestly sized room, taken up largely by the desk in the centre and the chairs on either side. There were a number of different landscape pictures adorning the walls in a vain attempt to make up for the lack of windows, without much success.

“No offense, Drew,” Colin said, sinking into the proffered chair, “but if this is more bullshit from the suits—“

“It isn’t,” Drew cut across him, settling in his own seat behind the desk. “This is… something else.”

“Okay,” Colin said slowly, curious despite himself. Drew appeared almost uncomfortable.

“Rumors have reached my ears concerning you and Ryan.”

It was much more direct than Colin would have expected, but he masked his reaction with a carefully neutral expression. “What sort of rumors?”

“That your relationship goes beyond that of work colleagues.”

“He’s a good friend.”

“Is that all?”

Colin stared him down and Drew relented. “Look, seeing as we’re technically working outside of the military, there’s no actual rule against it but there are a lot of reasons why it’s a very bad idea. For a start, it undermines the chain of command and then when things go bad teams are torn apart. Relationships cause complications we can’t afford.”

“I get the picture, Drew,” Colin said heavily. After all, Drew wasn’t saying anything that he hadn’t considered himself.

“Do you?” Drew pressed. He shuffled through the mound of paperwork on his desk, placing several pages directly in front of Colin.

“Last night’s preliminary report from Delta Team; it states that Ryan froze at a critical moment, endangering not only your life but every Angel present.”

Colin glanced down at the report but didn’t pick it up, feeling a stab of irritation at the criticism leveled at his team by another—regardless of its validity. It felt like his list of allies was growing thin.

“You know as well as I do that it can happen to anyone under pressure.”

“And you know that worrying more about one person’s safety can cripple a person’s ability to do their job and be an effective member of the team. Tell me it’s just a coincidence.”

When Colin remained silent, Drew stood up and rounded the desk. He exhaled heavily as he leant back against it next to Colin’s chair.

“Look, you know what we’re up against; we need everyone to be one hundred percent focused, from the bottom right up to the top. And you’re a slayer, our last line of defense. You can’t afford—“

“A life?” Colin asked, looking up into Drew’s lined face.

“Any distractions,” Drew finished softly.

Colin let out a mirthless laugh that was ringing with bitterness and stood up. “You think there’s a difference?”

He walked to the door and Drew straightened, a touch of regret coloring his tone as he tried to speak but, turning on the threshold, Colin cut across him.

“Message received, Drew; loud and clear. Now, if you don’t mind,” he said heavily, “it’s been a rough night and I need to get some sleep.”

 

Colin’s mind was such a churning mess of conflicted thoughts and feelings that, barely ten paces down the corridor, he almost collided head-on with Marcus.

“Whoa!”

“Sorry,” Colin said, lurching to a halt with a barely suppressed sigh. Sensing it, Marcus frowned.

“Hey, you okay?” His concerned gaze swept Colin’s face. “I heard you had a tough night.”

“Yeah,” Colin said, allowing the sigh to escape in a rush. Then he shook his head, forcing some semblance of a smile. “I just need some sleep. Any luck your end?”

“Not a scrap,” Marcus replied. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, flexing the tired muscles. “Kicked a lot of demon ass, though.”

“I bet.”

Marcus flashed a grin but his expression quickly sobered as he took half a step closer, taking the hand from his neck and placing it on Colin’s arm. “We’ll get through this, Colin. You and me against the world, right?”

“Yeah,” Colin smiled. He felt a surge of affection for his fellow slayer and the reminder that he didn’t have to carry the burden of responsibility alone. “Thanks, Marc.”

 

He was in the process of collecting Nos and Ratu from their temporary accommodation in the Alpha room when Greg, Jeff, and Ryan entered.

“Man, I could sleep for a week,” Greg was grumbling. “Hey,” he said, pulling up upon noticing Colin, “what did Drew want you for?”

“The usual,” Colin replied evasively, his hand curling around the sleeping form of Nosfer. “Another lecture.”

“Dude, you kill a werewolf and he still canes your ass? That’s harsh.”

Colin deposited the warm bundle of fur in his pocket. “Nothing I can’t deal with.”

“Well, I’m going to bed,” Greg yawned, heading towards the sleeping quarters. “You coming, broheim?” he added, glancing back at Jeff. There was something meaningful in his expression that didn’t quite fit his casual tone.

“Right behind you.”

It wasn’t like Colin hadn’t seen this act many times before, but this time the smile that would usually come so easily to his lips failed to bloom; instead it distorted into something infinitely more painful, lodging deep within his chest at the reminder of what he was to be denied. He turned his attention to Ratu, who had awoken and was sniffing the air with long whiskers aquiver.

“You’re not staying here?”

Ryan’s deep voice came from right behind him and Colin paused, wondering how he hadn’t heard his approach. Of course, he knew why—he was distracted. And he could hear Drew’s voice in his head telling him so. He held a hand out, palm upwards, for Ratu to climb onto, resisting the sudden urge to lean back into Ryan’s warmth.

“No, I really need to sleep in a proper bed for a change.” _Alone_ , he added silently.

“Me too,” Ryan agreed.

Colin finally turned to face him, steeling himself for what had to be done, but any further conversation was halted by Brad’s appearance. Grabbing a cup of coffee, Brad informed them that he’d been ordered out of the infirmary so that Chip could rest.

Colin barely heard him, in equal parts relieved and perturbed by the interruption. He watched Ratu clamber across his hands, only glancing up when Ryan’s deep voice roused him.

“Can you give me a ride home?”

Brad had settled into one of the chairs and put his feet up; it was clear he wasn’t leaving again anytime soon. It seemed that their conversation would have to be deferred.

“Sure.” Colin forced a weak smile and deposited Ratu in his pocket. “See you tonight, Brad.”

Brad waved vaguely in their direction, too intent on adding the right amount of creamer to his coffee to spare them a glance. “Later.”

When, the moment they reached fresh air, Ryan lit a cigarette, Colin took a moment to properly scrutinize his face and the way he inhaled a little too deeply.

“You okay?” Whether they were romantically involved or not, he was allowed to be concerned. Ryan was still a member of his team.

“Yeah.” The word was blown out with a lungful of smoke and it seemed like the tension in his body eased in its passage. Catching Colin’s concerned expression, Ryan flashed a smile. “One hell of a night, huh?”

Colin hummed in agreement, the urge to question him further warring with his desire not to press the issue too soon. The latter won out and they started to walk again, creating parallel tracks on the snow covered ground; the slight rise in temperature overnight had reduced the topmost layer to a wet slush that gave way easily beneath their feet. The next few minutes passed in a not entirely comfortable silence, Ryan finishing his smoke while Colin set about uncovering the bike and warming her up. Colin only passed his spare helmet over when the smoldering cigarette stub hit the snow and was instantly extinguished without so much as a hiss to mark its passing.

The ride was as uneventful as any other at that hour, with the streets deserted and the sun barely above the horizon. Its rays did little to warm Colin. And the solid heat against his back, the strong arms encircling him, brought nothing but a mocking clarity.

Outside the apartment building, Colin took the helmet from Ryan and placed it on the bike, resolutely staying beside it as Ryan began to walk away.

“Get some sleep.”

Ryan stopped and looked back in surprise, the foot that had been about to land on the first step sinking back to the ground.

“You’re not staying?”

Wishing he could stay, wishing for nothing more than to follow Ryan inside and sink into his arms, forgetting everything, Colin shook his head. “I need to go home and sort some things out… prepare.”

“Oh. Okay.” Ryan was moving back towards him and Colin could only accept the embrace he was pulled into. He held on perhaps a little longer than necessary, as if doing so would draw the strength he needed for the week ahead. Pulling back, Ryan planted a soft kiss on Colin’s lips. “See you tonight.”

Colin could only nod, forcing himself to turn around and climb back onto the bike. He rode away a moment later, away from Ryan still standing on the sidewalk, away from everything that he was giving up, and he didn’t look back.


	30. Chapter 30

The National Guard arrived the following afternoon, in a long line of heavy military vehicles that cut through the ice and slush with ease. By then, word had spread of a dangerous chemical leak from a factory a few miles to the East and the citizens of Cedarcrest had been advised of a mandatory evacuation. The majority had started to leave immediately, filling their cars with whatever they saw fit—food, clothes, pets, even plants. This left the National Guard to deal with those who were either unable or unwilling to comply.

Over the next few days, the number of missing persons reports increased ten-fold. While the sheriff and his men put it down to the National Guard’s incompetence, maybe people getting separated in the exodus, the Angels were inclined to think it was due to entirely more sinister reasons. With the population of Cedarcrest falling by the hour, the vampires were taking advantage of the chaos and picking off the stragglers. And one of those people—any of them—could be the final piece needed to complete the ritual. The Angels tried to hold them back as best they could, but with Halloween almost upon them and demon incidents only increasing, all the teams were stretched thinly. And by the time Alpha team found the location of the third ritual, the Baron and all of his minions were long gone.

On the afternoon that the National Guard declared the town cleared of all non-essential residents, a meeting was called for all Angel teams to discuss a detailed plan of action—a systematic search of the entire town in shifts, day and night. With just three days left until Halloween, and the National Guard just waiting for the word from Washington, they couldn’t afford to lose a single minute. The only good thing about the situation was that, with no civilians to worry about, they no longer had to hide behind a cloak of secrecy. However, with the town empty and the danger increased, the Angels’ own homes were no longer safe. Consequently, for their protection, all personnel had been forced to move into the base until the crisis passed.

The designated meeting room was full. Drew, Colin, and Marcus were up front, going over the details of each team’s assignment and the latest intel, complete with recent pictures of as many of the missing as they could get. Ryan stood near the back, arms folded across his chest, watching proceedings from his place with the rest of the Alphas—including a battered and bruised Chip fresh out of the infirmary.

Regardless of who was talking, Ryan’s gaze kept returning to rest on Colin, scrutinizing his every movement. Ever since the night of the werewolf attack, he had barely seen Colin, and when he had managed to grab a few moments alone Colin had been distant and evasive. Even with everything else going on and the very real apocalypse they were facing, one question remained at the back of Ryan’s mind, plaguing any moment that his mind wasn’t fully engaged in something else. _Why?_

His gaze flicked back to Marcus, his mind providing the same answer it’d given him a thousand times. He had no trouble believing that of Marcus, but Colin? No, there was something else going on. There had to be.

His full attention was regained by Drew telling all of them that the alert level had been raised to critical. This was as serious as it was ever going to get. Ryan glanced across at Greg, who looked back at him soberly and silently mouthed ‘ _fucked_.’

 

The meeting over, Ryan headed for the door but suddenly found his vision filled with the largest body in the room.

“How’s my favorite deserter?”

“Mike!”

Ryan grinned despite himself. His former team leader was a gentle giant, his good mood rarely threatened even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. He was a welcome sight.

“I’m good,” Ryan lied smoothly, although he was unable to stop himself from stealing a glance at Colin over Mike’s shoulder. He was still with Marcus and Drew, deep in conversation. “How about the Gammas?”

“Oh, you know us; ready for anything. Of course we don’t get the spotlight quite as much as the A Team,” he added, eyes twinkling. “You should come down to see us sometime; have a drink. Maybe when this is all over, eh?”

Ryan snorted and shook his head. “I have to admire your optimism.”

“What else do we have?” Mike said, smiling broadly as he clapped Ryan on the arm. “See you around, buddy.”

 

Ryan left soon after to head back to the Alpha Team’s room, having ascertained that there was no chance of even attempting to speak to Colin until both Drew and Marcus were out of the way. Still, the Alpha shift would start in a couple of hours and, with any luck, the opportunity would present itself then.

“Hey.”

Chip fell into step beside him, looking more anxious than Ryan had ever seen him—not that anyone came out of that meeting with anything nearing a happy expression. They took perhaps four steps together down the narrow corridor before Chip spoke his mind.

“This isn’t it. I mean, we still have a chance to win this thing, right?”

“A chance,” Ryan allowed, however dubiously. In truth, the whole situation seemed so much more hopeless than a week ago. And he knew exactly why that was.

“Yeah,” Chip nodded firmly, with the air of someone trying to convince themselves and not particularly succeeding. “We have two slayers here; that can only be a good thing.”

Ryan made a noncommittal sound in his throat as he navigated his way around a technician hurrying in the other direction. Chip continued undeterred.

“And whatever happens, we won’t give up without a fight.”

 _That_ Ryan could agree with, which of course brought his thoughts back round to Colin. Together they passed through another door into the hub, which was a bustling mass of bodies at work, scurrying to and fro to find and report the very latest information. As Ryan and Chip made their way to the Alpha room on the other side, Ryan decided it was safe to broach a small degree of his concern regarding Colin’s behavior. While Jeff would probably see through it straight away and proceed to give him hell, Chip was a safer bet.

“Has Colin seemed off to you the last few days?”

Chip glanced at him, the residual bruising across his forehead distorted by his frown. “Off how?”

“I don’t know… he just doesn’t seem himself, that’s all.”

“I don’t think any of us are ourselves right now,” Chip said grimly. “And Colin is a slayer; the buck stops with him. Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase _the weight of the world on your shoulders_ , doesn’t it?”

Chip pushed open the Alpha door and disappeared inside. Wishing he could believe it was as simple as that, Ryan slowly followed.

As had become his custom over recent days, Colin didn’t appear until just before their shift started and was quick to divide the team into pairs. It came as no surprise to Ryan when he wasn’t paired with Colin, but it still hurt; it was as if their relationship had been knocked back to the very beginning. He duly set off with Jeff to check out their specified area, armed with as many weapons as he could carry.

 

It was a bad night, a whole new and larger collection of demons running amok through the deserted buildings. Ryan and Jeff barely had time to search at all, too busy fighting and killing those who would hunt and kill them. When the first rays of sun began to light the sky, any remaining demons scurried away to dark places and an eerie stillness descended on the town; it felt almost as if the apocalypse had already happened. Bloodied and spent, Jeff and Ryan sank down against the nearest wall and watched the lightening sky.

“Just another Friday night,” Jeff sighed. He gingerly prodded a jagged cut across his cheek and grimaced. “I vote we take a day shift next time.”

Ryan didn’t answer. For him, fighting demons felt good; it took his mind off everything else. He felt Jeff’s gaze swivel to rest on him.

“Hey, you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah, and I’m Barry White. What’s going on? You’ve been off your game for a while now.”

A sliver of blinding gold appeared on the horizon, heralding the dawn. Closing his eyes against it to buy some time, Ryan was saved by a burst of static from the radio. But it was Colin’s voice that followed, filling the silent morning air. “Alpha team two, come in.”

Ryan’s jaw clenched, his eyes snapping open. He was glad that Jeff’s attention was no longer focused on him and that Jeff took it upon himself to reply. “Go ahead.”

“You can head back to base when you’re ready, over.”

“Copy that.”

Ryan watched as Jeff stowed the radio and with some effort pushed off from the wall.

“Party’s over; time to hit the sack,” Jeff said, offering his hand.

Ryan grasped it, allowing himself to be hauled upright. “I’m so tired I might even sleep through Brad’s snoring.”

He was surprised to see a gleeful grin spread across Jeff’s tired features in response. “Your chances are better than you think. After yesterday’s lesson in base-shaking throat rattles, Greg’s planning on doing a spot of cot relocation.”

Ryan couldn’t stop a burst of surprised laughter from ringing out across the street and it felt good, like a release of sorts.

“Just as long as I’m there to see his expression when he wakes up.”

 

“Anything to report?” Colin asked without looking up from the map he was studying.

“Other than a whole load of bloodthirsty demons trying to kill us, no,” Jeff replied, collapsing into a chair next to Greg who passed him coffee. Jeff gave him a look in return that bordered on sappy. “But we stacked up a fair body count, right Ryan?”

Ryan made a noise of assent, busy checking the state of his weapons. Both guns were almost empty and he was low on ammo, plus the blade on his best knife had been melted by the flames from a Moloch demon.

Colin finally looked up and spotted the cut still oozing blood across Jeff’s cheek. “You should get that looked at before you sleep,” he said, nodding at it. “Demon wounds get infected fast.”

“Tis but a scratch,” Jeff replied with a melodramatic flare but quickly sobered as Colin stared him down. “Yeah, okay.”

“Come on, Lancelot,” Greg smirked, tugging Jeff out of his seat. “I’ll accompany you down to the infirmary and defend your honor.”

“If I’m a knight, shouldn’t I be defending _your_ honor?” Jeff pointed out as he was led away. “You can be my fair maiden.”

“Whatever floats your boat, kitten.”

The door closed with a snap behind them, cutting off Jeff’s response. Their departure meant that Ryan and Colin were the only two occupants left in the room, for the time being at least, and Ryan was going to grab the opportunity to start talking. He looked down at Colin’s head, bent again over the map while he marked certain areas in red.

“Any news?”

Colin looked up again and Ryan could see the moment he realized that the two of them were alone because his eyes became guarded. Ryan tried to pretend that it didn’t feel like a punch to his solar plexus.

“No, nothing of use,” Colin replied, swiftly averting his eyes again.

Ryan took a step closer, deciding to push a little harder. He really didn’t have much to lose. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Colin said, flashing a smile that bore little resemblance to the ones Ryan was used to seeing. “Actually, I should probably go and check in with Drew.” He rolled up the map and stood in one quick motion, heading for the door.

Ryan had only a few seconds of indecision before he made up his mind. He wasn’t going to let Colin walk away so easily, even if it meant wrestling some answers out of him.

“Wait a minute! Col!”

Ryan strode over to stop him but his fingers had barely closed around Colin’s upper arm when they were wrenched off again and held in a steely grip as Colin whipped around. For a moment, Ryan had forgotten just how much strength lay hidden in Colin’s lithe form.

“Don’t,” Colin whispered. “Just… don’t, okay?”

“No, it’s not okay,” Ryan shot back, regaining his stride in the face of Colin’s rebuff. Maybe he couldn’t win against Colin’s strength but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to fight with everything else. “Look, I know things are fucking crazy right now but you don’t have to push me away. _Talk_ to me.”

There was the slightest softening in the hazel eyes locked with his. They were so close Ryan could feel the beat of Colin’s heart against his chest, the warm breath on his face; just an inch or two closer and Ryan could capture those lips and converse in another way entirely. Colin seemed to sense his thoughts, his eyes flicking down to Ryan’s lips for a fraction of a second. But then something changed and they turned steely once more. He shook his head.

“I can’t. I have to keep my head clear; stay focused. We need to keep this professional, Ryan.”

Disappointment, frustration, and anger battled for dominance as Colin freed him and took a step back. Ryan remained where he was, his arm dropping to his side. Then his anger suddenly won out.

“But you can talk to Marcus, is that it? Oh, I forgot; I’m not part of your little slayer club.”

He caught a flash of something in Colin’s expression, something akin to a wounded animal, but it was gone the next moment.

“If you really want to help me, then concentrate on doing your job,” was Colin’s flat reply as he turned to go.

“Yes _sir_.”

Colin stiffened slightly as he gripped the door handle, but didn’t answer. Once he’d gone, Ryan threw himself into a chair, wishing he’d kept his anger in check—wishing he’d never said anything at all. Because he _did_ have something to lose, and he might have just lost it for good.


	31. Chapter 31

Sleep didn’t come for a very long time that day, despite Ryan’s exhaustion and the absence of Brad’s snores. Even Greg’s plan, which had provoked such genuine laughter when first mentioned, didn’t seem all that funny anymore. Ryan lay in the darkness of their windowless sleeping quarters, facing Colin’s cot across the room—empty he knew by the faint glow coming from the sliver of light under the door. When he finally fell asleep, Colin still hadn’t returned.

 

The night that followed was no better than the last; in fact it was a little worse. So close to Halloween, with the walls between the two worlds weakening with every passing hour, more demons were emerging than they could deal with, even with the National Guard and the sheriff’s men lending a hand. Ryan was beginning to think that the substantial bomb being housed in a locked and guarded room within the base really was the only way they were going to bring it to an end and he could see the beginnings of doubt in his teammates, too; all except Colin who remained rigidly determined despite the rapidly stacking odds.

Of course the vampires were keeping well out of the way, letting the demons serve their purpose. Ryan didn’t see so much as a glimpse of ice blue as he fought everything that crossed his path—from demons the size of a dog, that could tear a leg clean off, to huge flying beasts raining fire and brimstone from above. Eventually the Alphas made it into the sewers to resume their increasingly desperate search, leaving others to fight the battle above, but all it yielded was a couple of drained corpses and a whole load of rats. They climbed out onto the street at dawn, filthy from head to toe and beyond frustrated. Time was running out, the body count was mounting, and still they found nothing to indicate the location of the Baron or the book.

“Surely there are only so many places he can hide,” Brad said, kicking the manhole cover and then swearing loudly, clutching his foot. Ryan had little sympathy, not when Brad had been bitching for a couple of hours solid about the sewer rats. He’d been in a bad mood ever since he’d woken up to find his cot crammed into a storage closet and his foot in a bucket, more so when everyone else protested their innocence.

“He won’t be staying in one place, Brad,” Colin pointed out tiredly, pushing the offending manhole cover back in place with a deep clang. “He’ll be constantly moving around to avoid our searches, and no doubt he has spies everywhere to keep him informed of our efforts.”

“Well, great,” Brad scowled. “What’s the fucking point of searching then?”

“Shut the hell up, man,” Greg replied irritably, taking the words right out of Ryan’s mouth. “You want to quit searching and haul ass out of town, go right ahead. We’ve had enough of your bellyaching.”

“I just meant—“

“The Baron will have to remain in one place to complete the ritual, which will take many hours of preparation,” Colin interjected, silencing Brad’s protest. “And he’ll start tonight, so we all need to get back to the base and rest while we can.”

He turned away, starting to walk down the street, and the rest of the team followed. Greg slapped Brad upside the head as he passed for good measure.

 

Breakfast was a quieter affair than usual, none of them particularly in the mood for conversation or false cheer. The only thing to break the silence was an argument that erupted at another table, something which had been occurring more and more frequently throughout the base. Living in each other’s pockets for days with limited space and little sleep, coupled with the stress of an impending apocalypse, it was hardly surprising. When the argument descended into violence, however, Colin tossed his fork down and got up to pull the men apart with a few choice words, after which they sobered up pretty quickly.

Having finished his somewhat rubbery eggs, Ryan’s gaze remained on Colin after he sat back down and unenthusiastically resumed eating—or a better description would be pushing his food around his plate. Colin’s face was paler than usual, drawn, as he cast a weary eye over the latest batch of reports. Ryan knew that he had been getting even less sleep than everyone else, he was hardly eating, and it was more than likely he was continuing to push himself just as hard off-shift as on. And Ryan also knew there was absolutely nothing he could do about it, which was frustrating as hell. If he could just get Colin to talk about it, share some of the burden, but the distance between them had grown even wider since their brief conversation the day before.

Ryan found himself remembering a morning not so long ago when he’d gone to sleep alone and worried but had awoken to find Colin in his arms. The immense sense of comfort he’d felt then had long gone. Now he felt only pain and emptiness, lodging in his chest and taking root, tainting every good thought and feeling. He needed to make things right, but after the way he’d acted he wasn’t sure how to even begin that conversation.

“Hey, you coming?”

Ryan blinked. Colin had disappeared, his unfinished breakfast where he’d left it, and everyone else was halfway to the door—everyone except Jeff, who was looking down at him enquiringly, one hand still resting on his chair.

“Yeah,” Ryan said, his chair screeching against the floor as he pushed it back. “Where’s Colin?”

Jeff snorted. “Man, you really _were_ out of it.” He picked up the remains of Greg’s toast and, after a cursory sniff, took a bite. “He had to go see Drew and the suits. Rather him than me.”

Ryan grunted in agreement. He hoped that Marcus was there at least, to take some of the heat.

Jeff tossed the toast back onto the plate and slapped Ryan on the arm. “Come on, there’s a bottle of whisky stashed away in my locker with our names on it.”

 

Whether Colin returned to the Alpha quarters to sleep or not, Ryan didn’t know. When he was roused an hour before dusk, after a restless sleep that did little to rejuvenate his body or his mind, Colin was already carefully preparing his weapons. Beneath the expression of concentration as he ran the blade of his knife smoothly across the whetstone that lay before him, he still looked just as pale and tired. Ryan almost said something but, thinking better of it, he locked the words away behind thinly pressed lips and carried on his way.

At a little after two in the morning, after an equally frustrating night of fruitless searching, the radio suddenly blared to life and the whole of Alpha team stopped in their tracks. Vampires were attacking teams on the south side of town. Not just one or two, by the sounds of it, but scores. Their screeches came through the radio to echo off the tunnel walls and into the darkness.

“They must be protecting the Baron,” Colin murmured, and instantly swung around to start running south. “This is Alpha Team; we’re on our way. Hold on.”

The roar of fighting could be heard streets away, above the wind and the cries of demons in the night. When they finally came upon it, they momentarily staggered to a halt at the sight in front of them. After hardly any signs of vampires for weeks, there was now what looked like an entire street filled with them, snarling and hissing as they attacked, and among them not only Angels—Delta and Beta teams among them—but soldiers and police officers alike fighting for their very lives. Already the snowy ground was littered with dust and more than a few bodies, some still being feasted upon. Ryan tried not to look at their faces as the team surged forwards; he didn’t want to risk recognizing one of them and lose his focus.

They fought their way into the horde and pretty soon Ryan couldn’t tell which way they’d come from. Everything was noise and confusion, bodies both living and dead thrown in all directions. The large houses on either side of the street stood in darkness, silent witnesses to the mayhem spilling across their once proud neighborhood.

Concentrating on fighting the vampire that had set upon him, Ryan knew by a loud curse that Jeff was somewhere to his left but the rest of the team had been swallowed by the fray.

Ryan caught a glimpse of Colin once or twice as he continued to fight, and Marcus and Greg crossed his path too, the latter attacking his prey not only with a stake but also with snide comments. Ryan could have sworn he’d seen Jeff a little way off rolling his eyes. It provided a moment of light relief, quickly swept away. At some point it started snowing again. Ryan only noticed when he had a chance to look around after killing a heavily set and particularly strong vampire and found much of the street obscured by the growing blizzard. On he fought, all too aware that they were losing precious time. Time they didn’t have. It felt as if he’d been fighting for hours and yet the vampires kept coming. From the looks of it, the vamp population of the town had increased significantly over the past few weeks, drawn by the Baron’s power and news of his nearing victory.

Ryan was near enough to Colin to hear the call for help when it came through the radio. It was nothing more than a few words and yet was enough to make his blood run cold. It was the voice of a dying man. And it had come from the base.

White-faced, Colin struck out to vaporize the vampire he was fighting and looked around, his wide eyes finding Ryan’s.

“We have to get back. Right now.”

After a quick search and shouts above the roar of battle, diminishing ever so slightly as more and more vampire fell, the Alphas regrouped and ran, faster than they’d ever run. Their feet barely made a sound; everything was muffled and softened by the thickly falling snow. The quiet beauty of it seemed utterly out of place.

No one spoke as they rushed down one street, then another, but the fear and tension was tangible, countless questions held behind thinly pressed lips. Ryan was relieved when the familiar metal gates finally came into view but at the same time his gut twisted in apprehension of what they would find… what had happened… what they were walking into.

The library appeared no different on the outside but Ryan’s eyes scoured every dark corner as they stepped lightly through the musty interior, weapons gripped tightly in both hands. Never before had the darkness seemed so threatening, the silence so absolute. The whirrs and clangs of the old elevator sounded deafening in comparison as it rose towards them.

They descended in the same tense silence, the expressions on their faces speaking volumes. A swift exit towards the farthest bookcase and still everything seemed just as it always was. It wasn’t until the code and handprint was entered and they were through the first door that there were the first signs that something wasn’t right. The camera on the wall that would usually follow the movements of anyone who entered this anteroom remained motionless, tilted down towards the marble floor. There was no voice demanding identification. Nothing but silence.

Colin called out several times but when there was no answer he moved towards a panel on the wall. It looked no different to any other panel, to Ryan’s eyes anyway, but Colin pressed it firmly and another keypad appeared.

“What’s that?”

Ryan started at Chip’s voice. Chip himself looked as if he hadn’t meant to speak so loudly. The small room amplified the slightest sound.

“Emergency override,” Colin explained in a terse whisper. “Ready?”

The five of them nodded, facing the door with grim determination as Colin entered the code to release it. The moment it opened, the silence was replaced with screams.


	32. Chapter 32

It was worse than anything Ryan’s imagination could conjure. Carnage and bloodshed, more horrific than anything he’d ever come across. Bob, the old security guard—more than just a guard, a friend to everyone—was slumped across his desk in a pool of his own blood, his neck torn open, his eyes staring. Closest to the door, he would have been the first. Beyond him lay countless other bodies, across the floor and heaped over desks, a line of desperate defense ruthlessly torn down. Many were still fighting in the melee, some with their dying breath, but their assailants were everywhere—vampires and demons attacking together. The smooth clean lines of the hub were streaked with blood, defaced, the computers and other equipment trashed and burning.

“Holy fuck,” Brad breathed.

They were outnumbered by perhaps ten to one but they couldn’t turn back. The Baron had somehow brought the battle to them and they had to win it or lose everything. How and why he’d done it was pushed to one side. As one, the team charged forward, their weapons finding their first targets.

Colin tore straight down the middle, heading for the biggest congregation of vampires that had a group of staff cornered, and Ryan ran after him. The base techs had never trained for this—even in their worst nightmares no one had thought this even possible. Top of the range security system, supposedly impregnable. Yet here they were. The nearest weapons were in the armory, blocked by fire and a dozen dark creatures, so the techs had made use of anything they could to defend themselves. One of the senior techs—a man approaching his forties who always insisted on wearing a suit—was brandishing a broken table leg. He was in front of the others, somehow managing to keep the vampires at bay, but several demons were closing in behind the terrified group.

Glancing left, Ryan saw Greg go after a winged demon that was shooting fire from the domed ceiling, incinerating anything and anyone in its path. Leathery wings protruded from a large skeletal body, the skin stretched thinly across it, almost translucent, while blazing eyes matched the ferocity of the flames it was bellowing from between large jagged teeth. Brad, Chip, and Jeff had circled around to draw the other demons away from the group.

The vampires didn’t know what had hit them. Together, Ryan and Colin took out a good third of the crowd before they realized what was happening. Then the air was filled with their hisses and screeches. While a few of the younger vampires drew back, suddenly uncertain and even fearful that a slayer had appeared, the elders screamed their wrath and turned their attack on the Alphas with renewed ferocity.

Even though they’d thinned the crowd, it was still a good four to one in the vampires’ favor and Ryan found himself having to deflect multiple attacks simultaneously. Already tired, he had to force his body to remember everything he’d learned in training and not drop his defenses for even a second. He was driven backwards, but it allowed the technicians to flee towards Brad who was beckoning them to one of the empty team rooms, away from the fighting.

Deflecting a heavy blow, Ryan gasped as one of the other vampire’s sharp claws ripped into his unprotected left arm, leaving a deep and jagged gash. He ignored the pain and the warm trickle of red that sprang from the wound but the smell of his blood drove the vampires into an even greater frenzy. Like predators sensing weakness, they circled and continued to attack, looking for another opportunity to strike.

However, the scent of blood was also a distraction—a distraction that proved fatal for one of them, turned to dust by a well aimed stake to the chest. Yet, despite this, Ryan knew he was losing the battle. There were just too many of them and his body was tiring fast. He couldn’t even see through the mass of attackers to see where everyone else was, whether they were even still alive.

One of the vampires caught his slower injured arm and wrenched until something popped. A white-hot, searing pain shot through Ryan’s shoulder. He cried out and fell to his knees, the pain so great that his vision tilted and blurred but he could still see the vague dark shapes of other vampires closing in for the kill. He blindly thrust his good arm up and outwards and it hit something solid. If he was going down, he was taking as many of these bastards with him as he could.

Then the cold bony fingers around his arm were gone and the darkness seemed to recede. Ryan blinked hard to clear his vision. Standing with his back to him, protecting him while laying waste to any vampire that came near, was Colin.

Profound relief and something even sweeter, warmer, flowed through Ryan, eclipsing the pain. He staggered to his feet and turned so that his back was to Colin’s, tightening his grip on the stake in his right hand, determined to finish the job together. His left arm hung limply at his side.

When the dust cleared the war around them was still raging, senseless noise and destruction. The pain in Ryan’s shoulder reasserted itself and he clasped his arm, gritting his teeth against it. He felt Colin shift position and turn to hurriedly assess his injury.

“It’s dislocated,” he said a beat later. “I need to—“

“I know,” Ryan said through his teeth. It wasn’t his first shoulder dislocation and he was sure it wouldn’t be his last. “Just do it. I need both arms working as best they can.”

Colin nodded and took his hand and, despite their surroundings and dire circumstances, despite his considerable pain, Ryan couldn’t help but savor the simple touch. That, and everything else, was driven out of his mind the next moment when Colin pulled his arm hard, ripping a scream from Ryan’s throat. But Colin wasted no time in popping the joint back into place and the vast majority of the pain subsided, leaving only a dull ache behind. Ryan breathed deeply, the relief tangible. However, he wasn’t too far gone to register and feel the loss when Colin’s hand slid from his. There was a tearing sound and then what looked like a strip from Colin’s shirt was tied around his injured bicep, covering the bloody cut there.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Looking around, Ryan’s gaze was suddenly caught by Greg, still locked in a deadly battle with the largest demon. He had wounded it in several places—there was a tear to its wing and a gash on its hind leg—but it had barely slowed it down. Greg was having to dodge fireballs and the wildly thrashing tail while looking for a weakness.

Watching from across the room, Ryan could see what was about to happen and even though he pushed his body forward into a run, he knew it was pointless. He wouldn’t get there in time. The demon had read Greg’s reactions, drawing him into an attack that would leave him vulnerable. As Greg struck out, the full force of the demon’s tail came from the side, smashing into him so hard that he was lifted off his feet, his momentum only stopped by the nearest wall.

Vaulting over a fallen table, Ryan saw Greg crumple, saw the demon moving in for the kill, and still he wasn’t close enough. But before the razor sharp claws could finish the job, they found a new target. Throwing himself in front of Greg, Jeff put a bullet through the demon’s head even as the claws embedded themselves in his chest. A blinding light signaled the demon’s demise but the claws left sizeable puncture marks that quickly began to seep blood, a creeping dark stain on Jeff’s jacket.

“Jeff!” Ryan shouted, finally reaching him. Following his gaze, Jeff seemed almost surprised to see the blood there. The wounds were oozing rather than pouring blood, alleviating some of Ryan’s concern but it still wasn’t good.

“What were you thinking?”

Both Ryan and Jeff turned at Greg’s voice, wheezy and unmistakably angry. He’d managed to get to his feet, clasping an injured arm, and was now nose to nose with Jeff. “You could have been killed. Why the fuck did you do that?”

“Because I love you, you fucking idiot!” Jeff shouted and then paled, swaying on the spot. Greg was instantly there to support him, the anger that had been there replaced by concern and a tenderness that Ryan had never seen in him before.

“You’re an idiot,” Greg said softly, affectionately, helping him to sit.

Aware that he was intruding upon something private, Ryan turned away only to meet a pair of hazel eyes. Colin was right behind him. They silently held each other’s gaze for a few seconds and then Colin’s lips parted, as if he was going to say something. But whatever that might have been was cut off by several gunshots from somewhere deeper within the base.

It spurred them back into action. Most of the enemy in the central hub had either fled or been killed, but a fire was still blocking the main route to the rest of the base, including the armory. Since the sprinklers should have kicked in at the first sign of smoke, Ryan could only assume that the system had been disabled along with everything else. He grabbed the nearest extinguisher and doused the flames. Instructing Brad and Chip to clean up the last of the intruders in the hub and then follow, Colin led the way through the blackened door.

The corridor beyond was obscured by smoke. It pricked at Ryan’s eyes and seeped into his lungs with his first breath, making him cough. He put an arm across his mouth and nose to keep it at bay. As they started to move, Ryan could make out vague dark shapes on the floor in front of them. As they drew nearer it became apparent that they were bodies, some obviously dead, some not so. Ryan quickly pressed his fingers to their necks as he passed and found a weak but steady pulse on two of them. He’d send medics back to help them. _If there were any medics left alive._

There was another gunshot, much louder and closer. Ryan snatched his fingers back from a young fair-haired woman’s neck to grip his weapons. The door ahead of them led through to the conference room and beyond that was the training facility, the armory, Drew’s office, and then a stairway to the lower levels.

Colin opened the door a crack to see what lay ahead and then beckoned Ryan onwards. The air in the conference room was clearer, enabling Ryan to take some deep cleansing breaths, and apart from a lot of upturned tables and chairs, there was nothing to see. They passed through it quickly towards the door on the far side.

The emergency lighting had failed in the next corridor and it was in complete darkness, save for a tiny chink of light at the far end beneath the door. Ryan knew that somewhere along the right wall was the door to the armory but he couldn’t see it. He couldn’t see anything and his senses were on high alert. It was the perfect place for an ambush.

They were about halfway along when a pair of red eyes lunged out of the darkness and something struck Ryan in the leg, taking him clear off his feet. He hit the floor hard, the breath knocked out of him, but immediately scrambled to get back up. As he pushed off from the floor his left hand slid in something wet and slightly sticky that conjured unpleasant images. Colin was no longer beside him and, as far as he could tell, neither was the demon.

There was a high-pitched shriek somewhere to his right. It was a mixture of pain and anger. Colin’s night vision was considerably better than a normal human’s and he was using it to his full advantage. As he squinted, trying to make out something, _anything_ , something rushed past his elbow. It made him stumble backwards and the heel of his boot hit something on the floor, something solid but soft that instantly brought Ryan’s mind back to the wet patch he’d slipped in. He swallowed thickly.

“Ryan! Down!”

He instantly dropped but wasn’t fast enough to avoid the scrape of something sharp across his neck. He clamped his hand over the injury, staying down in a crouch. He didn’t have a clue what this thing was or whether Colin was winning or not but it was clear he wasn’t going to be any help when he couldn’t even see his own hand in front of his face. He dragged himself over to the wall and leant his back against it heavily. His neck was wet with blood. Hopefully it wasn’t too deep or he might wind up like the body he’d just stumbled into. He still might. Two wounds seeping fresh blood was like ringing the dinner gong for any remaining vampires.

There was another screech somewhere down the corridor to his left, making Ryan’s head snap round in that direction. The darkness was as impenetrable as ever but as he was staring into it, listening for anything more, something caught his gaze. There was a bluish glow a way off that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

As it moved closer, one spot of glowing blue became two and with a horrible realization, Ryan made to grab his stake. Except it wasn’t there. It must have been dislodged when he’d fallen. He scrabbled around on the floor with one hand and then, finding nothing, took his other hand away from his wound and searched with both. It didn’t matter how much he was bleeding—he was going to lose a lot more if he didn’t find a weapon fast.

There was a sudden burst of noise from along the corridor and, almost at the same moment, Ryan found himself under attack. The hands that had been fruitlessly searching in the dark floor were forced to abandon their task as every ounce of Ryan’s strength was employed to keep his attacker at arm’s length, his fragile shoulder screaming in protest. He could see nothing of the vampire save its eyes—steely and cold, like a clear sky in winter that can’t be warmed by the sun. The eyes of a killer. Ryan could still hear fighting elsewhere in the darkness—Colin engaged in battle with the demon. He was on his own.

His injured shoulder was the first to fail, unable to withstand the force leveled against it. Down to one good arm, Ryan tried to kick out to gain some more leverage but the vampire was too close for him to get a foot in. He could feel the vampire’s breath on his face, cold and putrid, edging closer. It seemed that Ryan’s luck had finally run out. There was nothing left in him.

But as the last of his strength drained and a calm sort of acceptance stole over him, a blinding white flash lit up the corridor and, as Ryan screwed up his eyes against it and the vampire hissed its displeasure, a single shot rang out. With a screech, the weight on Ryan lifted. He opened his eyes to see that the light had faded to a dim glow, just enough to see by. The vampire was on the ground beside him, a bullet wound to its chest. The bullet had missed its heart and it was already starting to get up again when Colin appeared out of nowhere and drove a stake home, dissolving it to ash.

“You okay?” Colin panted. He was dirty and sweaty and the dust clung to his skin, turning it a light shade of gray, but to Ryan he was the most beautiful sight in the world.

“I think so.”

Looking towards the new source of light Ryan saw Drew striding towards them, a shotgun in one hand. His shirt was torn and bloody and one of the lenses in his glasses was cracked. His expression was grim.

“The hub?”

“The rest of the Alphas are clearing the last few now,” Colin replied.

Drew nodded and headed for the door to the armory, which was only a meter away from where Ryan was slumped. Near it lay the body that Ryan had stumbled into. Ryan recognized the face—he’d seen him around on the lower levels a few times but wasn’t sure exactly what his job was. What was clear was that he’d been trying to get to the armory. His body was stretched that way, arm out and reaching even in death, his white skin in stark contrast to the blood trailing from it to the floor.

Feeling slightly nauseous, Ryan started to get up and felt Colin’s hand slip under his elbow to assist him. Once he was upright, Ryan ran his fingers over the wound on his neck experimentally. His skin was sticky with blood but the flow appeared to have eased. It wasn’t too deep.

“I think we’ve got them beat but we need to sweep the lower levels,” Drew said, reappearing from the armory a moment later with several boxes of ammunition, a small pistol, and a crossbow. He threw the crossbow to Colin, who caught it one-handed, his other hand still supporting Ryan. He seemed to have forgotten it was there.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked Drew. “How they got in?”

“No,” Drew sighed, slipping fresh cartridges into his gun. “I only knew something was wrong when the screaming started and then the power went down. Come to think of it, how did you know?”

“Someone tried to get the word out over the radio.”

“And paid for it with their life,” Ryan added soberly.

“There are a lot of questions to be answered,” said Drew, “but first we need to make sure that the base is secure.”

There was a creak and the door to the conference room slowly opened. All three turned, Drew and Colin raising their weapons in readiness, but it wasn’t a vampire or a demon that appeared. It was Brad and Chip. They had their own weapons raised defensively but lowered them as soon as they saw that the coast was clear.

“Report,” Colin said as they drew near.

“The hub is clear and we’ve checked all the adjoining rooms,” Brad replied wearily. He had a cut running across his cheek and a bloody nose. “Greg’s looking after the wounded and keeping an eye on things until we can get medics and reinforcements up there.”

Colin nodded. “Okay, Brad, you’re coming with us to check the lower levels. Chip, I need you to get the power back on. We don’t want to give these things anywhere to hide. Ryan, I want you to go back to the hub and help Greg.” He went on quickly, not giving Ryan any time to protest. “That arm wound is still bleeding too much. I need you out of here.”

Ryan couldn’t argue—the strip of material that Colin had tied around his arm was soaked through. So he reluctantly agreed and headed back the way they’d come, glancing back just as Colin disappeared through the door opposite.


	33. Chapter 33

The hub was quiet now, save for the groans and whimpers of the injured who were propped up against walls and desks in scattered groups. The power had come back on about twenty minutes after Ryan had returned and unable to sit looking at the many dead, Ryan started to cover them. Soon Greg moved from Jeff’s side to lend a hand.

“Is he okay?” Ryan asked, glancing back at Jeff’s pale face. His eyes were closed.

“He’s lost a fair amount of blood but he’ll be fine,” said Greg. “Stupid kid,” he added with half a smile, as if trying to cover his concern. Ryan didn’t call him on it.

“And you?”

Greg waved his hand in a quick dismissive gesture. “Bumps and bruises, maybe a couple of cracked ribs—I was lucky; luckier than these poor sods.” He pulled a jacket over the body of a young woman, barely twenty. “Or maybe they’re the lucky ones,” he said softly so that only Ryan could hear, staring down at the prone figure. “It’s only going to get worse from here.”

 

Back up arrived shortly afterwards—two National Guard teams, several members of which were trained medics and immediately started seeing to the injured. Ryan impatiently waved away the help of one, directing him towards the others. Their sergeant was standing a little way off, talking to Greg in-between giving orders. His main concern was whether the huge explosive—no one wanted to call it a bomb—they’d brought with them was still secure. It was, of course; locked behind two solid steel doors with two separate code and voice print authorization inputs required, it had remained perfectly safe. Ryan couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not.

He looked round at another burst of activity at the entrance. Marcus and the rest of Beta team had just stepped through, shock and confusion twisting their bruised and bloody faces.

“Holy shit,” Marcus breathed, surveying the destruction with wide eyes. Then, spotting Ryan, he ran over and crouched down beside him. “What happened? Where’s Colin?”

“They hit us while our back was turned,” Ryan told him, wincing as another shooting pain went through his shoulder. “We got most of them but Colin’s making sure the lower levels are clear.”

“Are you okay?” Marcus asked, eyes raking over his injuries.

“I’ll be fine.”

Marcus nodded and stood up. “Betas, with me!” With that he charged off through the blackened door, the rest of his team following.

 

One by one the rest of the teams returned, some Angels crying out at the devastation, some stricken silent but all with the same expressions of complete shock, giving way to sadness and anger. Being one of the few injured but still conscious, Ryan had to explain again and again what had happened until his voice began to grow hoarse. He only allowed his wound to be properly treated when he was satisfied that everyone else was being looked after and he couldn’t put it off any longer—the second strip of material that Greg had tied over Colin’s was also soaked through.

Ryan barely heard the medic’s diagnosis as Colin had just returned and Ryan was too busy making sure that he was alright to bother about himself.

“Hey, I said your neck should be fine but you’re going to need stitches in this arm,” the medic said more loudly to gain his attention.

“Sure, whatever,” Ryan said distractedly, barely maintaining eye contact for more than a few seconds. He needed to know what was going on across the room where Drew, Marcus, and Colin were talking to the National Guard contingent.

“You should also have an IV inserted,” the medic continued undeterred. “You’ve lost a fair amount of blood.”

Ryan gave a vague nod, still watching. One of the soldiers had broken off from the group and was now going to see the various medics scattered around the hub. He came over to Ryan’s man last, his report short but succinct.

“The lower levels are secure. We have the green light to move the dead and injured down to the infirmary.”

He moved away again quickly, leaving no time for further questions. Ryan scowled.

“Okay,” the medic said briskly, “let’s get you sorted out.”

“I’m not a five-year-old,” Ryan said, shaking off a helping hand as he got up. He glanced over at Jeff, who was looking considerably worse for wear but, despite that, wore an expression of something like contentment as Greg carefully lifted him.

“Hey Ryan, you okay?” Chip’s face suddenly filled Ryan’s field of vision. “I saw you go down with those Vs and I thought you’d had it.”

“I was lucky,” Ryan said, moving towards the door.

“Yeah, lucky you had Colin next to you. Man, you should have seen his face when he tore those vamps off you…”

Ryan turned his head to look at Colin, a small spark of hope igniting within him, the rest of Chip’s words washing over him unheard. Colin was still involved in a grave discussion with the section heads, but just as Ryan reached the door Colin glanced over and met his gaze. It wasn’t much—barely two seconds of contact—but it was enough to turn that spark into the smallest flame.

 

The medics in the infirmary already had their hands full with scores of injured, some barely hanging on to life. It was a hive of activity, shouts and orders mingling with moans and screams, people dashing in all directions, trails of blood across the white floor. There weren’t enough beds to go round so Ryan settled himself against a wall in one corner out of the way, insisting that Jeff took the last bed.

As he waited patiently for treatment, Ryan’s gaze travelled around the room’s other occupants. Some he knew by name, others by sight, but they were all part of his family. Every death hurt each and every one of them. His gaze came to rest on Jeff and the man who had remained steadfastly by his side, drawn even closer over the course of one night; something good to hold onto in a sea of tragedy and darkness.

Over the course of the next hour, more casualties came in—some from within the base and many more from the battles outside it. It seemed that everything had been thrown at them that night, all intended to prevent them from doing anything except fighting for their lives. Mike, the leader of Gamma team, was one of those carried in on a stretcher, unconscious and covered in blood. The rest of the Gammas were with him. Having his arm carefully stitched, Ryan could only nod to his old team mates in silent solidarity.

It was a little after eight in the morning when Ryan was allowed to leave. The cut on his neck had been cleaned and dressed and his arm was stitched, bandaged, and in a sling to protect his fragile shoulder. He’d refused an IV drip, knowing that there were others who needed it much more than he did, but he was on strict orders to rest and consume plenty of fluids.

Ryan wasted no time in going straight back to the hub to see if there was more news or at least some answers but neither Colin nor Drew were there. Still, he learned that there were thirty two confirmed dead so far—twenty five of them Angel personnel. In the wake of such a massive security breach, a contingent from the National Guard was now stationed outside the library and the base entrance but Ryan knew that the chances of another attack were slim. The Baron had made his point—he’d struck at their heart and dealt them a heavy blow, leaving them on their knees. Now Halloween was upon them and the hours and minutes until the apocalypse were ticking away.

Ryan retreated to the Alpha room, where he found Brad and Chip sitting in subdued silence with untouched cups of coffee in front of them. He poured one for himself and joined the vigil, forcing the hot liquid down his throat one mouthful at a time. Some time later Jeff and Greg joined them, Jeff still a little pale but noticeably improved, leaning into Greg’s side the moment they sat down.

“God, this is really it isn’t it?” Chip said finally. “We’ve lost.”

“No, we haven’t,” came Colin’s voice from behind them. No one had heard him enter the room. “We haven’t lost until the moment the Baron completes the ritual and we’re not going to give up until that moment.” His tone was harsher than usual, resolute, the strain showing all too clearly on his face as he moved towards them. “Understood?”

The rest of them nodded in silent acquiescence and some of the steel slipped from Colin’s expression. “I know it’s been a tough night but we can still do this. It’s not over yet.”

“Not until the fat lady sings,” Brad agreed, trying to sound upbeat, “and there aren’t any fat ladies around here… unless you put Drew in a dress,” he added, causing several snickers and the merest trace of a smile to cross Colin’s face.

“Any word on how these bastards got in?” Greg asked, plunging the tone downwards once more.

“No,” Colin replied, sinking heavily into a free chair, “and unfortunately we don’t have time to dwell on it right now. Drew’s ordered us all to eat and rest up before the sun goes down and the real battle begins.” He paused and then looked over at Jeff. “Jeff, the doctors have advised that you stay—“

“I’m going with you,” Jeff interrupted loudly, sitting up. Ryan could tell that he was trying not to wince.

No one was convinced, least of all Greg. “Maybe you should—“

“No,” Jeff silenced him. “I’m going with you.” Then he forced a lopsided smile. “You don’t think I’m going to let you guys have all the fun, do you?”


	34. Chapter 34

They retired to the Alpha sleeping quarters just before ten, having forced themselves to eat at least a little breakfast. Ryan’s dry toast and orange juice rolled uncomfortably in his stomach as he took off his shoes and settled down. After several moments he discarded his sling, too. It would only get in the way.

Once the lights were turned out the silence was heavy, filled with all the thoughts and fears that weren’t being voiced. Gradually, over the course of the next hour or so, the sounds of breathing around him evened out as exhaustion dragged his team mates into sleep. For Ryan, though, sleep remained elusive. He knew he needed it, knew he’d stand a much better chance with at least a couple of hours rest, but his mind would not be quelled, and the darkness only heightened his disquiet.

He shifted onto his side, pulling the blanket with him, and stretched his legs out over the edge of the cot in a vain attempt to get comfortable. It creaked under the redistribution of his weight, and somewhere to his right Greg’s snores skipped a beat. Ryan blew out a frustrated breath. It felt wrong to be lying there doing nothing when they had so few precious hours left. Lifting his watch, he pressed a button on the side and the dial lit up. Ryan only caught a brief glance of the time, however, as the light had illuminated something else; another pair of eyes staring up into the darkness.

Now Ryan was looking, he could make out Colin’s face even after the light had gone out. Perhaps sensing his gaze, Colin turned his head to the side and they lay silently looking at each other for several minutes. Then, making a decision, Ryan slipped out from under the blanket and crept closer. Colin’s eyes stayed on him the whole way.

Ryan had no plan, no idea of what he was going to do or say, but something was urging him to close the distance, even if he risked being immediately sent back to attempt sleep once again. He folded his body down so that he was sitting next to Colin’s cot and waited, allowing Colin to make the next move, hoping that his presence would be perceived as he intended—that of a supportive friend.

For a few minutes all was quiet. Then Colin spoke, his voice barely a whisper in the darkness.

“I should have seen it coming, Ry. I let this happen.”

Ryan felt for his hand and grasped it tightly. “No,” he whispered back. “You didn’t. If it weren’t for you, they would have torn this place apart and killed everyone in it.” He moved his other hand up to gently cradle Colin’s face, the intrinsic need to reassure him greater than any doubts about whether his touch would be welcomed. “You have nothing to feel guilty for, Col. _Nothing_.”

Softer still, Colin replied, “There is one thing.”

There was a second, perhaps two, before Colin’s hand slid up and over his, and then a couple more before he felt Colin’s head tilt ever so slightly and the gentle press of lips to his palm. With that one feather-light touch, the wall broke down between them. Ryan leant closer even as Colin’s hand free hand curled around his neck, a bump of noses before their mouths found each other. Ryan’s knees were pressed painfully against the hard floor, his neck was straining at an odd angle, the edge of the cot digging into his side, but it might just have been the most wonderful kiss he’d ever experienced.

When they broke apart, a slow release of lips, Ryan felt a brush of wool against his arm as Colin lifted the blanket. He hesitated for only a few seconds before carefully climbing in, Colin’s body warming his chilled limbs. Then they were kissing again and heat enveloped all of him.

Although his close proximity to Colin and the freedom of being able to reach out and touch him had Ryan hard as a slab of granite, he would have been content simply to stay wrapped in that embrace all night. He tensed slightly as Colin shifted closer, enough to surely feel the dig of Ryan’s erection against leg and, sensing his sudden anxiety, Colin pulled back to look at him. Then slowly, surely, his hand slid down Ryan’s chest and Ryan could just make out the shine of Colin’s eyes as they steadily held his gaze, sharing each breath across the short expanse of pillow.

His eyes slipped closed at the first touch of Colin’s fingers around him, biting his lower lip to suppress a deep moan when Colin’s grasp became surer, pulling him free of his underwear. He unconsciously moved forwards to capture Colin’s lips again, needing to try to express something of what he was feeling, his own hand moving to reciprocate,

Both abruptly stilled their movements when they heard a grunt nearby, then the squeak of a cot—presumably as the grunter turned over. They lay frozen in place, barely breathing. The untimely interruption served as a reminder that they were not alone, that their teammates were sleeping only meters away. But while this reality check should have given Ryan pause, should have compelled him to return to his own cot, if not Colin to eject him, they both reached for each other as soon as silence fell again. Ryan couldn’t deny himself this, not when it could be his last chance, and it was clear that Colin felt the same way.

Breathing more heavily, Ryan’s hands found Colin’s jutting erection, pulling it free with a firm upwards stroke, simultaneously covering Colin’s mouth in another kiss to muffle his gasp. He wished nothing more than to make love to Colin slowly, reacquaint himself with every inch of his body and draw out a shattering climax, but that was an impossibility in their current situation. So he poured everything into his hands and lips, saying all he needed to say without words.

As they caressed and stroked, their lips met again and again—sometimes to smother a groan, sometimes because they simply needed the contact. Side by side they came closer and closer, gradually falling apart in the hushed blackness. Ryan panted softly into Colin’s mouth as he neared the end, then trembled through his release, his lips clamping to Colin’s to ensure his silence.

Ryan then renewed his grip, slackened temporarily as sensation took over, and soon felt Colin’s breathing start to hitch. Colin’s free hand reached across to find his, interlinking their fingers, squeezing and clenching to the rhythm he’d set, slowly building. When he finally reached his release, Ryan softly kissed him through it so that all that could be heard in the darkness was a muted sigh.

Afterwards they pulled each other close, kissing again slowly, reverently, before simply laying together. Eventually Ryan reluctantly loosened his arms, preparing to return to his own bed, but Colin held him in place, his words a soft murmur against Ryan’s neck.

“Stay. I don’t care who knows; not anymore.”

Ryan wasn’t going to argue. He tightened his hold and let Colin’s gentle breathing and his post-coital lethargy lull him to sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

“Would you look at that.”

“I _knew_ it!”

The voices that pulled Ryan from sleep were Greg’s and Jeff’s, and the lights were now back on. That much he knew. But as his level of consciousness rose, with it also came the realization of where he was and who was lying pressed against him.

“Good for them I say.”

That was Chip. Ryan kept his eyes closed, listening, waiting for the explosion. Only one person left. There was a huff from somewhere across the room but nothing more—a far better reaction than Ryan could have dared hope for. He felt Colin shift against him and slowly opened his eyes, meeting Colin’s briefly. In those few seconds they shared a silent but meaningful exchange, fortifying themselves for whatever lay ahead.

It was as they were getting up, smiling a little sheepishly at the good-natured comments aimed their way, that Drew arrived. He was already starting to speak as he came in, but whatever he’d been about to say was suddenly buried beneath an oddly intense expression aimed directly at Colin. Ryan looked to Colin with a frown but Colin seemed unaffected. He merely glanced Drew’s way and continued pulling on his boots.

“Save it, Drew. You need me and I need _him_. It’s as simple as that. Take it or leave it.”

Ryan’s head whipped back towards Drew—as did everyone else’s—and the first inklings of understanding crept in. So it hadn’t been Colin’s choice to put some distance between them after all. Drew looked for a moment as if he was fighting an internal battle, then his expression cleared and he simply said, “I came to tell you that the National Guard plans to detonate that bomb at a quarter to midnight before the ritual can be completed. You have until twenty-two thirty hours to find the Baron and stop him or we’ll have no choice but to evacuate.”

“Oh good,” said Greg, shoving an arm into his jacket. “Nothing like the threat of a massive explosion to push things along.”

Colin stood up. “We’ll find him. As soon as the final part of the ritual starts and the portals begin to open, his location will light up like a Christmas tree. We’re going to take this bastard down if it’s the last thing we ever do.”

“It may well be,” Ryan heard Brad mutter under his breath.

 

A hush settled over the team as they began preparations, each weapon carefully checked and stowed. After weeks of mounting pressure and apprehension, it all came down to this one night; one night to save the world. Ryan glanced across to where Colin sat, focused entirely on the blade in his hand as it was steadily sharpened with slow strokes—just as he had done the day before. And yet there was a renewed strength in his expression, a gritty determination in his eyes that sparked both hope and fear within Ryan’s heart.

Turning back to his locker, he silently vowed to remain at Colin’s side throughout whatever horrors the night might bring. He ran his fingers lightly over the old photo that was taped to his locker door—a young boy on a rope swing, the dappled sunlight through the trees illuminating his fair hair and joyful expression as he sailed through the air; his brother. It was a reminder of why he’d chosen this path and what he was fighting for. His fingers slid down to grasp his dagger, the blade glinting as he picked it up. He wouldn’t lose his family again.

The rest of the base was just as quiet, mournful, and yet tense—a tension that hung heavily in the air and on the shoulders of every man and woman. As dusk approached and the remaining teams assembled, Drew stood in the centre of the hub and called for everyone’s attention. Marcus went to stand beside him and with the briefest touch of his hand, Colin silently slipped from Ryan’s side to join them.

“Okay, Angels, this is it,” Drew began. “I know this isn’t how it was supposed to go. You’re all tired and hurting. Friends and teammates have been lost; a lot of good people who were taken from us too soon. Tonight we fight in their memory—not just for them but for everything they stood for, everything they died trying to protect. We won’t let that sacrifice be in vain. We won’t let humanity fall. And no matter what happens, we won’t let our slayers stand alone against the darkness. That is our Angel pledge and tonight we will honor it.”

Drew paused, casting a sideways glance at the group of soldiers standing to one side. “If worse comes to worst, the National Guard are standing by to blow this town and everything in it straight to hell. At twenty-two thirty hours we’ll begin the mandatory evacuation of all personnel. You have until then. Good luck and god be with you all.”

There was an outbreak of murmuring, hugs, and backslaps as the teams moved out. Colin and Marcus conversed briefly then with a final nod they went back to their respective teams.

“Ready?” Colin asked as he rejoined the Alphas.

“As we’ll ever be,” Chip replied.

Greg stole a sideways glance at Jeff and then nodded. “Let’s go trick-or-treating.”

 

The sky was clear except for a few soft wisps of cloud way up high, cornflower blue giving way to deepening streaks of colour in the west. But there was also an orange glow to the south and east —not a reflection of the setting sun but fires burning out of control in some of the abandoned buildings. It had already started.

The library was surrounded by a large National Guard contingent. They weren’t there to protect the base itself but rather the substantial bomb locked away inside it; it had been made perfectly clear that it was their number one priority, so ordered by Washington. More National Guard teams had arrived during the day and continued to arrive, drafted in to contain the situation until it could be resolved—one way or another. Although they had no doubt been briefed, Ryan couldn’t help but think that they had any real concept of the real-life horror they were walking into. Judging by some of the expressions of the men he’d passed, the sheer magnitude of it was just beginning to dawn on them.

Once the teams were through the gates they went their separate ways, each having been given specific areas of the town to monitor. Alpha team headed towards the southern end, where the majority of recent vampire skirmishes had been reported. Using and combining those coordinates to find a central point gave them a place to at least start looking although there was a good chance that those attacks had simply been yet more diversions .

The streets seemed deserted at first glance but Ryan could sense that they were being watched from the shadows and dark places that the sun couldn’t touch. They came across a large house that was on fire on the corner of the next street, flames roaring out of every window and door and licking hungrily up the walls. There were no firefighters left to bring it under control.

The tendrils of sunlight slowly receded across the snowy ground as they walked, giving way to shadow, and soon only the tops of the trees and buildings remained bathed in gold. In the gathering darkness a momentum was building and a few restless cries carried on the wind. The town was hanging on the edge of a knife.

As the sun set a hunter’s moon rose in the east, a pale disc in a sea of blue. Ryan tilted his head up to watch the last vestiges of sunlight slip away, wondering if any of them would see daylight again. His eyes moved to Colin walking just ahead and he recalled the memory of those last few precious hours together. Now he wore that comfort like a talisman, a warmth within him that the cold evil stirring all around them couldn’t touch. Jeff nudged his arm, eyes gleaming with the spark of a hidden smirk in the semi-darkness and Ryan couldn’t prevent a fully fledged smile from forming at being caught. While he and Jeff hadn’t had a chance to properly talk, it was enough to know that they’d both got what they wanted. If this was indeed the end, they wouldn’t bear the burden of regret.

The most central building within the area they’d been ordered to search, and by far the largest, was the Cedarcrest Medical Center. It was located next to a spacious park—green and leafy for most of the year but now cold and barren, the snow on the ground shining white in the growing darkness. Just like everything else in town, the little playground just inside stood abandoned although the soft squeak of the swings could be heard as they were buffeted by the wind.

The eeriness only increased as they entered the building, their torches illuminating the abandoned wheelchairs and gurneys littering reception, the front desk a mess of papers scattered in the hurried departure.

“I’m not sure we’ll get any candy here,” Greg remarked, nudging a gurney out of the way. It hit the wall with a soft bump.

Ryan’s eyes strayed to a room on the right and his torch beam followed, passing over the smiling cartoon animals and characters that adorned the walls in bright colors. Pieces of long buried memories stirred; a high backed wooden seat, blood slowly oozing from a scraped knee, hushed voices through half-closed doors, his mother crying…

“Ryan?”

The call of his name was joined by a hand on his shoulder, jolting him out of the spiraling myriad of interconnected memories, thoughts and feelings that had suddenly been freed. Jeff stepped up beside him, following his gaze. “You see something?”

“No,” Ryan said after a beat, looking away. “It was nothing.” Ahead, Colin had paused and was looking back in their direction. His face was masked by the shine of his flashlight but Ryan felt his gaze. Forcing himself to get his head back in the game, Ryan moved on to check the next room.

They searched the whole of the ground floor and basement without finding anything significant, but when they moved up to the first floor it was only a couple of minutes before something drew Chip’s attention.

“Hey, look at this.”

Lying on the floor in the beam of his flashlight was a torn plastic blood bag, the remnants of its contents splashed upon the floor.

Greg raised an eyebrow as he moved closer. “I’m guessing that wasn’t authorized use.”

Colin lifted his flashlight to the sign above the nearest door, which read Hematology Department. “Through here.”

They slipped through the door quickly and quietly, scouring the area for any sign of movement but nothing stirred. All they found were more ripped blood bags leading to the blood storage room, which had been stripped of its contents.

“Looks like we missed the hospital evacuation after-party,” Brad said, stopping in the center of the trashed room.

Colin crouched down on his heels to inspect one of the larger pools of blood. “It’s dry. This was done some time ago, probably right after the staff and patients left.”

“Why wait?” Chip frowned. “They could have got a whole lot of fresh blood while they were at it.”

“I suspect that wasn’t part of the Baron’s plan,” Colin replied. “Besides, vampires generally avoid feeding on the sick; the hunt is too easy and they consider their blood to be dirty.” He rose to his feet in one fluid motion. “But after weeks of hunger, and with the place empty, this was a free banquet they couldn’t ignore.”

There was a sudden bang somewhere in the building, far beyond the small room the team was crowded into. “Maybe they decided to stick around,” Ryan said quietly after a moment of tense silence.

Colin glanced across at him. “Only one way to find out.”

A thorough search of the hospital yielded nothing, although Jeff discovered an unfastened window a floor above the Hematology department that was banging open and shut whenever the wind caught it—most probably the source of the noise they’d heard. Colin called it in as they headed back down to the ground floor.

“The medical center is clear. We’re expanding our search, over.”

“Copy that.”

 

While they’d been inside the darkness had crept forth to claim the town, all traces of daylight gone. Even the moon was masked by drifting cloud. The town was lit only by the burning red glow of fires still raging.

“Stay close,” Colin murmured, withdrawing a gun and cocking it as he scanned the area. Together they exited the building and descended the stone steps, pausing for a moment before crossing the deserted street. As they turned a corner a loud bang echoed around them, as if a door somewhere had been slammed. It brought them to an abrupt halt as they tried to discover the source, but the air was suddenly rent with a piercing cry. With it came the first signs of movement, a scuttling of claws on wood and stone.

There were only a few demons to begin with but then a slow trickle became a steady stream and then a tide, erupting from every dark corner and crevice like a cloud of bats escaping their roost. The Alphas opened fire, destroying as many as they could, but didn’t engage in pursuit; right now the demons could wait. But like moths to a flame the demons were drawn towards them, the only living souls in the area.

Soon the emerging stars were blotted out by the sheer number circling above and all around them more buildings were bursting into flame amid triumphant demonic cries. As he called for military back-up, Colin ordered everyone to form a tight circle facing outwards, protecting their backs.

Then slinking out of the shadows came vampires, many of them, teeth bared. They moved with purpose, paying no attention to the shrieking demons on all sides or the renewed bursts of flames. At first they stayed out of reach, seemingly content just to circle the team and watch as they were forced to defend themselves against multiple demon attacks. The demons were doing the vampire’s job for them, after all, using up valuable ammunition as well as energy.

Slowly the vampires drew closer, restless, eyes hungry. Then, with a hiss, the lead vampire attacked and the rest followed.

“Where are those damn reinforcements?” Ryan shouted, ducking as a flying demon’s claws raked their heads whilst simultaneously fighting off the snarling vampire in front of him.

“I guess they’ve got their hands full,” Colin replied forcefully, kicking one vampire backwards into another and then staking them both.

Hitting out, Ryan staked the nearest vampire through the eye and it screamed, dark putrid liquid streaming from the wound. Ryan withdrew the stake and aimed instead for its heart, cutting off the scream instantly. But he had no time to recover or even think as the tide of attackers continued. It was all the team could do to hold their own.

Then Jeff cried out in pain, clutching his wounded chest as it was dealt a heavy blow, and, like hyenas picking out the weakest prey, the vampires’ attention shifted so that suddenly he was the main target. Greg tried to protect him as best he could and together they were managing to hold the vampires at bay, until a massive attack tore Jeff away from Greg and into the horde. Yelling at the top of his lungs, Greg lunged after him and with that the circle was broken.

Everything became confused. The rest of the team rushed after them, Ryan keeping his eyes fixed on the back of Greg’s head as he kicked and sliced his way through bodies in his way. Their only chance was to stay together.

Fighting with everything he had, Jeff managed to slow the vampires down enough for Greg to catch up to them as they were about to turn into an alley. Greg powered into them like a charging bull, knocking several backwards but they recovered almost instantly and were bearing down on him as well when Ryan reached them. As if sensing the shifting odds, they released their hold on Jeff and retreated down the alley—unfortunately before Ryan had the chance to turn any of them to ash.

“That was close,” Jeff said, rubbing his injured chest as he tried to catch his breath.

“You okay?” Greg asked, dragging him to a nearby doorway as the rest of the team caught up. “I really don’t think you’re up to this—“

“I’m fine,” Jeff argued. “Stop mothering me, it’s not your style.”

“I’m not—“

“Hey!” Ryan yelled, his heart suddenly beating faster as his head whipped left and right. “Where’s Colin?”

Everyone fell silent and looked around, shocked at the realization that Colin was no longer with them.

“I swear he was right behind me,” said Chip, turning to stare back in the direction they’d come from. It was a different scene to the one they’d left; in the few minutes they’d been distracted the vampires had all disappeared, leaving the street to the growing number of demons. Colin was nowhere to be seen.

“Col?” Ryan started to run back to where they had first been attacked, the icy wind stinging his eyes as they raked high and low. A demon leapt to attack him and he cut it down in one stroke with barely a second glance, too busy cursing himself for not staying at Colin’s side. “ _Colin!_ ”

There was no answer; no clue. The slushy snow and ice on the ground was covered in dozens of footprints, crossing over each other in every direction. Ryan rushed towards the nearest side-street but was grabbed and pulled back behind a wall by Greg, out of sight of a massive demon that had just appeared a few meters away.

“Let go of me,” Ryan growled, trying to yank his arm free. “I have to find him—“

“We need to stick together or we’ll _all_ wind up dead,” Greg shot back, refusing to loosen his grip. His face hidden by shadow, Ryan could only make out his steely eyes. “Hey, we’re going to find him. But we’re going to do it as a team, okay?”

Ryan let out a noise of pain and frustration, trying to push away the horrific scenarios and images flying through his mind. “Fine.”

Apparently satisfied, Greg released Ryan’s arm and snatched the radio from his belt as Jeff, Brad, and Chip appeared beside them. “This is Alpha Team, we need back up on Old Bridge Road right now.”


	36. Chapter 36

When Colin came around, his head was swimming and his body felt like lead. He suppressed a groan, trying to remember what had happened but everything was strangely foggy, like fragments of a dream. And opening his eyes yielded little answers, his vision so blurred that he could only make out vague shapes and colors.

“He’s waking up.”

Colin closed his eyes again at the cold voice. Okay, this wasn’t good. He sensed someone move to stand in front of him and flinched when a sharp finger tilted his head up.

“This slayer’s given us a lot of trouble. Maybe I should rip his throat out here and now…”

“Leave him!”

The finger was quickly withdrawn. Colin kept his eyes closed, ensuring he looked as weak as possible. Unfortunately it wasn’t far from the truth. His head was steadily clearing with every passing minute, enough to ascertain that his hands and feet were chained—although he doubted he’d have the strength to do anything even if they weren’t—and his weapons were gone. From the musty smell, he guessed he was somewhere underground so shouting wouldn’t do any good either.

“I know you’re awake, slayer.” The last word was hissed right next to his ear.

Colin held himself steady. “The Baron, I presume,” he said in a low voice. “I’ve been waiting to meet you.”

“Ah, my reputation precedes me I see.” The words were spoken in cold puffs of air against Colin’s skin. He abruptly withdrew. “I do wish we could have met on equal terms but I’m afraid I couldn’t risk you interfering on this long-awaited night.”

Opening his eyes, Colin raised his head. He still couldn’t see much of anything but his hearing could pinpoint exactly where the Baron was. “What did you give me?”

“Just a little known poison I acquired on my travels. In small quantities it will incapacitate rather than kill.”

“Why not just kill me?”

“And let you miss the show? No, I want you to see this,” the Baron said, advancing again until he was an inch from Colin’s face, eyes glowing bright blue in the blurry haze. “Every. Single. Minute. And you will—your blindness is temporary, I assure you.”

Colin looked him straight in the eyes. “Good. Because I want to see your face when I turn you to dust.”

 

The search for Colin was hampered by the sheer number of demons that were appearing everywhere, the walls between worlds steadily weakening as the conclusion to the ritual approached. By the time another Angel team arrived they had only managed to search a small portion of the immediate area and Ryan wasn’t even sure there was any point—the vamps knew better than to stick around. Unfortunately that left them with absolutely nothing to go on, and the clock was ticking.

“What’s the situation?”

It was Charlie, an old team mate of Ryan’s who was apparently heading up Gamma team in Mike’s absence. He was a couple of years younger than Ryan, very ambitious and overly serious by nature but he was good at his job and that’s what was needed. Ryan took him aside.

“Colin’s missing,” he said quickly. “I think he’s been taken.”

“Shit.”

“If I’m right, find him and we find the Baron. But we’ll need your help.”

Charlie nodded once. “You got it.”

Huddling behind a burnt out car, Ryan and Greg outlined where the Alphas had already searched and together with Charlie they agreed on the areas each team would search next, all the while looking out for any signs that pointed to where the ritual was taking place. It wasn’t much of a plan but it was the best one they had.

As they prepared to part ways, Ryan turned back to Charlie. “Hey, have you had contact with any other teams? We couldn’t get through to anyone else.”

Charlie looked grim. “No, but I’m not surprised. The whole town’s gone to hell—not just demons and vampires but zombies, wraiths, and word is a couple of werewolves have arrived too. If this is just the warm up, I don’t want to stick around for the big finale.” He silently gestured to his team and took off across the dark street, heading southeast.

Ryan glanced at his watch. They had just under two hours until the evacuation; but mandatory or not, Ryan sure as hell wasn’t going to leave without Colin.

 

It was impossible to keep track of how much time had passed in the dark confines of his room but little by little the walls slid into sharper focus until Colin could see every crack in the stone and every drop of moisture—even the smallest spider scuttling across the dank surface. They would be coming back for him soon.

Instead of the Baron it was a group of his followers who slunk out of the inky blackness, hooting and jeering like a pack of hyenas. Colin let them slide the chains off without resisting, going so far as to stagger when they hauled him upright as if he hadn’t yet regained full strength. It was the Baron he had to deal with and the more they underestimated his recovery the better.

“This slayer is weak,” one of the vampires spat when they entered a large underground chamber minutes later. It was lit by a countless candles, momentarily blinding after the total darkness of the chamber he’d been kept in. However Colin’s attention was captured entirely by the quietly weeping woman in the center of them, half hidden behind the vampire securing her hands and feet. She was young, maybe mid-twenties, dark hair hiding much of her tear-stained face. Sensing his gaze, she looked up directly into Colin’s eyes and through the pain and terror Colin saw the desperate plea. _Help me_.

“Ah our special guest has arrived.”

Colin knew the voice but was unprepared for the face that came into view, for the Baron was undeniably handsome despite the cold blue eyes that shone with absolute malice and intent. His pale skin was flawless, almost translucent across sculptured cheeks and a chiseled jaw. Unlike his followers, his clothing was old-fashioned—the kind a three hundred year old vampire was used to wearing and of the finest quality.

“Just in time,” the Baron added. His smile held the promise of terrible things to come.

“Why this woman?” Colin said, looking back at her. He didn’t understand. The final part of the ritual demanded the purest of souls; an ordinary girl wouldn’t be enough, no matter how virginal.

But then the vampire in front of her moved away, giving Colin a clear view of her for the first time, and he realized the horrifying sickening truth. The Baron watched his expression transform and laughed cruelly.

“As you see,” he said softly, leaning in closer, “the woman is nothing.”

Colin stared transfixed at the soft curve of the woman’s swollen belly; she was almost at full term. “You can’t,” he whispered in disbelief.

The Baron laughed again. This was his master stroke… the purest of souls.

Except one.

Colin tore his gaze away from the pregnant woman to look at the Baron and any threads of an escape plan that had begun to form in his mind fell away. He couldn’t allow two innocent to lives be destroyed.

“Use me,” he said, his voice resolute. “Use me instead.”

The Baron actually looked surprised, something Colin was sure didn’t happen very often. “You’d sacrifice yourself for this woman and her spawn?”

“Yes, on the condition that you let her live and go free.”

The Baron regarded him with an odd expression. “Such a noble sentiment,” he murmured after a long moment. He looked away again, appearing to weigh up his options but he knew as well as Colin did that a slayer’s blood was more powerful than any other. He’d be a fool not to accept. The woman stared at them through wide tear-filled eyes that shone with a glimmer of hope.

“Very well,” the Baron said finally, as Colin knew he would. He clicked his fingers. “Release her. We have a better prize.”

“You’ll let her go,” Colin pressed as he was roughly shoved forward, speaking over her cries of relief. “No tricks.”

“She’ll go free,” the Baron replied smoothly. “Of course I can’t guarantee her safety up there,” he added, nodding skywards, “and in a few hours it’ll make no difference.”

As the woman was untied and dragged away she managed to reach out and grasp Colin’s arm, conveying her heartfelt thanks, sorrow and guilt. Her other hand was splayed protectively across her belly. Colin kept his eyes on her until the darkness swallowed her up. Then he allowed himself to be tied without resistance, steeling his mind and body for what lay ahead.

“This doesn’t mean you’ve won,” Colin told the Baron vehemently, trying not to wince as the rope cut into his already raw wrists.

The Baron smiled serenely. He stepped up to Colin to run a cold finger down the exposed skin of his chest, through the torn remnant of his shirt. “Oh, I rather think it does. Now,” he continued, moving away again, “before the festivities begin, there’s someone who’d like to see you.”

Colin’s lips started to form a question but the words died on his lips as yet another person entered the chamber.


	37. Chapter 37

Over and hour of searching and there was still no clues, no leads, _nothing_ to determine Colin’s location. Even the flashes that signaled a portal opening were masked by smoke and fire, giving them little idea of a direction in which to go. The Alphas kept pushing on as best they could, going from one building to the next while keeping to the shadows as much as possible, but with every minute that slipped by, Ryan found it harder to suppress a growing sense of panic and the one question he couldn’t afford to let his mind dwell on. _What if we don’t find him in time?_

Countless demons circling and screeching in a sky licked by flames, Cedarcrest now looked every bit like a town already in the clutches of hell. Ryan had caught sight of National Guard units rushing to and fro a few times, mostly in armored trucks, and there were sporadic and sometimes sustained bursts of gunfire but there was no sense that they were in any way winning the battle. They were only buying time.

Again and again, Ryan’s eyes were drawn back to the hands of his watch, ticking inexorably towards zero hour. As ten thirty drew nearer and nearer, the tension mounted and the search grew more desperate. They were now near to the center of town where the buildings were more densely packed, stretching in every direction… too many… just too many.

The order came through at half ten on the dot, pulling all teams out. Ryan refused to acknowledge it, continuing on his way to the next building on the street, and he was a little surprised when the others followed his lead and ignored it too. He supposed he shouldn’t have been; they were a team. After ten minutes of increasingly insistent orders from Drew to obey and retreat immediately, Greg grabbed the radio from his belt. For one crazy moment, Ryan thought he was going to hurl it into the nearest burning building.

“Sorry Drew, but we’re not leaving one of our team behind. If you want to go then you’re going to have to go without us.”

“Greg, you get your asses back here—“

“Not going to happen, compadre,” Greg replied evenly. “This is Colin we’re talking about, Drew. _Colin_. You guys can do whatever the hell you want but we are not going to stop searching until we find him or we’re all blown to hell. You can fire our asses later if you want. Over and out.”

Although the team carried on as if there had been no interruption, Ryan saw Jeff plant a kiss on Greg’s cheek as they walked into what had once been one of the town’s less popular bars—the go-to hangout for lonely drunks. Ryan had only been in a couple of times, when the need for a stiff drink outweighed any thought of comfort or decent company. Now it was a mess of broken furniture and smashed glass. The cries and screeches of the dark creatures all around them continued unabated but the guns that had punctuated them since nightfall had now fallen silent. They were well and truly on their own.

They had barely gone more than a hundred yards up the street when a new sound rent the night air; not a demon scream but human and, by the pitch of it, female. Part of Ryan—quite a large part if he was honest—wanted to ignore it and carry on, conscious of the time slipping like sand through their fingers. But that was erased by a second desperate cry, spurring all of them into action. Whoever she was, she was close by and clearly terrified. Running across the street and down an alley, it took them under a minute to reach her location.

Ryan’s first thought upon taking in the scene was one of pure confusion, prompting several questions to flash up in his mind. What was a women, and a heavily pregnant one at that, still doing in town? Where had she come from? And how the hell had she survived this long? But right now those answers could wait, for she was surrounded by demons—one of whom had just pinned her to the ground. The alley had come to a dead end and they hemmed in on all sides by the high walls of adjacent building; not a good place to fight but they really didn’t have a choice now.

Immediately going on the attack, the team took a demon each while Ryan and Greg headed straight for the largest whose black claws were curled tightly around the woman’s arms. It hissed and snapped at them, clearly unwilling to give up its prize, but several shots aimed at its head had the beast taking flight, leaving the woman cowering on the ground. Once the demon had gained sufficient height, it bore down upon Ryan and Greg, teeth bared. Greg fired again but missed as it angled its body and came at them again.

“I’m out of bullets!” he shouted, dodging the outstretched claws.

Ryan rolled to one side, feeling the heat of its body as it swept past his, and jumped quickly to his feet, checking his gun. He only had one more shot; time to make it count. Taking careful aim as it surged back towards them, Ryan fired. The shot entered the demon’s head through its left eye and a second later, as the demon crashed to the ground shrieking, a bright light streamed from the hole, spreading outwards to engulf the rest of the creature. Shielding his eyes, Ryan turned back to see that while most of the other demons had either been killed or had fled, two were still fighting. Five against two were good odds, though, and within minutes the battle was won.

Ryan’s attention returned to the woman. She had curled into a ball when the demon had released her and hadn’t moved since, one bloody hand still thrown up protectively over her head, fingers splayed. He knelt down beside her and noticed the tremors coursing through her body, the quiet sobs. Greg flanked her other side, sharing a look with Ryan that said ‘ _tread carefully_.’

“It’s okay,” Ryan began, keeping his voice soft and full of reassurance. He didn’t want to risk touching her yet. “They’re gone. You’re safe now, but we need to move.”

There was a moment’s pause before she slowly uncovered her head and turned her tear-streaked face towards his. “No. No one’s safe. Not with those… things.” A fresh tear tracked down her wet cheek as she shook her head. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“Greg,” Chip called. He was crouching a little way off beside Jeff who was propped against the wall, breathing heavily, one arm braced across his chest. Frowning, Greg went to join them and Ryan, looking over with some concern himself, almost missed the woman’s next words.

“I mean, first some weird vampire ritual and then these things—“

“Vampire ritual?” Ryan cut in sharply, his eyes flying back down to her face.

She shook her head, sitting up a little. “I know it sounds crazy—“

“No, it doesn’t,” Ryan said, his heart suddenly beating faster. “Please, you need to tell me everything.”

Sensing his urgency, she did as he asked and he listened intently to her story, of how she’d been captured, kept in the dark for days, and then tied up in a cavern where there were strange markings on the floor. When she spoke of the man who had saved her life by taking her place, Ryan closed his eyes in pain and bowed his head.

“This chamber,” he said, forcing his eyes back open to look at her. “Do you know where it is?”

“Not exactly, but it’s somewhere underneath the church. I heard the bells chime every hour while I was kept down there.”

Ryan looked up to find Brad next to him, his brown eyes clouded with worry. “We need to get her out of here and then find that chamber. We still have a chance.”

“Let’s go,” Brad nodded, sounding every bit as determined as Ryan felt and together they helped the woman to her feet.

“Hold up a minute,” Greg called from Jeff’s side. He stood up, giving Ryan a clear view of the large amount of blood seeping through Jeff’s shirt despite Chip’s best efforts to stem it. Jeff’s ashen face was covered in a sheen of sweat, his eyes closed. “I need to get Jeff to a medic so I might as well take them both out of here. It’ll save time.”

Ryan’s eyes flicked back to Greg. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ve got this,” Greg replied with a curt nod. “You go find that chamber before it’s too late. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Ryan hesitated. “Greg—“

“I’ll be back,” Greg repeated more firmly, evidently sensing where Ryan was heading. “You don’t think I’m letting you take on all those vamps on your own, do you? Besides,” he added darkly as his gaze returned to Jeff, “I have my own score to settle with the Baron.”

 

It made sense when Ryan thought about it. The church was in the center of town, right under their noses, and yet it was the last place anyone would look. But even though the vampires couldn’t step foot inside the church itself—that much was true in the stories—there were centuries old passages and crypts underneath that didn’t hold the same level of sanctity; no crosses, no holy water, just ancient corpses and cold stone. It was also guaranteed to stay untouched by the rampaging demons and other dark creatures, leaving the vampires to complete the ritual undisturbed… apart from the three Angels who were quickly but quietly edging their way across the dark graveyard towards the church.

The heavy wooden door was unlocked, which Ryan was eternally thankful for. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to their position with a hasty break and enter job. He silently slipped through the door into the musty interior, followed by Brad and then Chip, waiting until the door was closed to click his flashlight on. After walking through a town in chaos it was strange to see not a thing out of place here, ready for a service to take place at a moment’s notice.

“This way,” he whispered, his voice nevertheless carrying in the hush.

Flashlight in hand, Ryan led the way down the aisle towards the front of the church, looking for anything they might use. The large cross above the altar was far too heavy and cumbersome to be of any use but there was a smaller, more manageable one on the cloth cover of the alter itself that Ryan pocketed.

Brad whipped a small flask out of his own pocket. It was usually filled with liquor—a not-so-secret stash—and Ryan was ready to call him on it but as he watched, Brad tipped the last few drops onto the stone floor and then lowered it into the font until it was completely filled with holy water. Glancing up, he caught Ryan watching him and gave a half shrug.

“Might as well have as many weapons as possible.”

Ryan nodded, mildly impressed. He’d half expected Brad to be difficult once it was just the three of them but if he didn’t like the fact that Ryan had taken charge, he hadn’t voiced it.

“Looks like this is the entrance,” Chip said from the shadows to one side of the altar, beside an old wooden door. “The only other door leads up to the bell tower.”

Ryan gathered his thoughts and moved over to join him, Brad just behind. “Okay, chances are they’re not expecting an attack but there’s still bound to be a strong contingent down there so be careful. If all else fails, just grab Colin and get out.”

“You think he’s still alive?” Chip asked quietly, anxiety lining his young face.

“I have to believe that he is,” Ryan said. He had pushed his own anxiety deep down inside of him, because yielding to it for so much as a second would render him incapable of taking another step. He reached down to switch his radio off and withdraw a sharpened stake. “Let’s go get him.”


	38. Chapter 38

The stone steps that spiraled down were rough and uneven, the musty smell in the church giving way to a chilled damp earthiness. Even with the torch, they stumbled several times and had to freeze mid-step, listening for any answering movement from below. Although they knew that the vampires couldn’t have accessed the subterranean tunnels and chambers by this route, they had no way of knowing how close the nearest sentry was. And there were bound to be many.

When they finally reached the bottom, Ryan took a last glance at his watch and then clicked his flashlight off. They couldn’t risk going any further with it on, not when it would immediately alert the vampires to their presence. And with under an hour left, they needed to get this right. At times like this, Ryan wished he could have Colin’s superior vision but that thought only brought more painful ones and he had to shake them away. After several moments his eyes adjusted and it became clear that it wasn’t the absolute darkness he’d feared. There was a meager amount of light coming from somewhere, not much but enough for him to at least avoid walking into walls.

Where the stone steps ended there was a small chamber and beyond that a doorway. Ryan looked back at Brad and Chip and motioned for them to follow his lead. Then, keeping his back to the cold stone wall, he crept slowly along the outside wall of the chamber, his eyes trained ahead. The doorway led to a tunnel that ran through a series of other crypts. Peering into them, Ryan couldn’t see much but in one or two of the larger ones he could discern the faint outline of several huge stone sarcophagi.

As they continued to take slow and cautious steps, the light seemed to steadily grow and they were able to make out more and more of their surroundings. This proved invaluable when the single tunnel they were in suddenly diverged into many. Only one of them was lit by a faint glow that was evidently the source of what little light they’d had.

They slowly edged their way into it, backs to the wall so that they could still see in both directions. Now that they were nearing the light source, Ryan could see that it had the undulating quality of fire—not the blazing intensity of the fires burning above ground but rather the soft light from a steady flame needed to conduct a ritual. His heart sped up along with his steps. If they could just take the Baron by surprise, they might have a chance.

Ryan was so focused on the end of the tunnel that the sudden blow from the left came out of nowhere. He spun, reeling from the impact to his head, lashing out wildly for the attacker. The next second he was pressed up against hard stone but the pressure was alleviated almost immediately when Brad ripped his opponent off. While Brad and Chip forcibly restrained the vampire, Chip slapping a hand over its mouth to muffle its cries, Ryan used his stake with deadly accuracy. The three of them stood in the wake of the vampire’s dusty demise, watching and listening for signs of others but it seemed he was alone.

From his new position, Ryan could see the alcove in the wall where their attacker had been stationed. There was a large dead rat on the floor there, its body bent at an unnatural angle, fur matted with blood. Ryan crouched down to feel its body—still warm. For a hungry vampire it was a snack that could not be passed up. Unlucky for the rat perhaps, but for the team it had diverted the vampire’s attention enough for him to be unaware of their presence until the last moment.

The tunnel opened up into another chamber, thankfully deserted, before diverging again on the far side. This chamber was smaller than the last. There’d been a cave-in at some point along the left-hand side, leaving a jumble of soil, grass, weeds and stone in its wake, burying whatever tomb had once lain there. From the breath of cool breeze on his face, Ryan guessed that it had left at least a small opening to whatever lay above although it was too dark to tell for sure.

Ryan was just entering the next tunnel when a muffled scream echoed through it and turned his blood to ice. It took everything he had not to run full pelt towards that sound, a voice broken and distorted yet utterly unmistakable. The only comfort Ryan drew from it was the proof that Colin was still alive. He felt Brad and Chip step closer to him, maybe to stop him doing the stupid thing he was thinking or maybe because they wanted to do it with him. He didn’t know. All he knew was that he had to get to Colin before it was too late.

Together they plunged onwards, picking up the pace as much as they could, and it seemed like luck was on their side for the tunnels remained empty. However, the next chamber they came across proved to be a bigger obstacle. Vampires, at least twenty of them, filled the stone room—some were draped across tombs with rather bored expressions while others couldn’t seem to keep still, shrieking and hissing at each other. A few of the younger ones squabbled over what looked to be the remains of a bat. There was no sign of the Baron, the ritual, or Colin.

“We could try finding a way around,” Chip whispered behind Ryan as they crouched out of sight.

“There’s no time.”

“So we go in strong and fast,” Brad murmured, “take the bastards down before they know what’s hit them.”

Ryan nodded. Even with the element of surprise, the odds were not in their favor. But it was that or turn back, which certainly wasn’t an option. They weren’t going anywhere without Colin, and knowing he was alive somewhere on the other side gave Ryan all the strength and determination he needed to lead the way.

The vampires nearest the tunnel were vaporized before they could register even mild surprise and the team quickly capitalized on the confusion that followed, taking out a further four or five. Then it got more complicated, a dozen or so vampires against the three of them, but still they were holding their own—no, they were actually winning—and Ryan was beginning to think that fortune had favored them.

That dream came crashing down within moments. Chip was taken first as more vampires appeared, forcibly restrained and stripped of weapons. Brad and Ryan fought on for another minute or so before being overwhelmed. It was over.

Ryan feared that they’d be drained there and then, the blue eyes all around them shining with acute hunger, but instead they were manhandled away from the baying pack, down a short passage into a smaller chamber. Ryan initially thought it was empty, but then he saw the blue eyes glowing from a darkened corner.

“I knew you’d come for him.”

Ryan felt Chip stiffen next to him and, for a moment, he was puzzled by the intense reaction, echoed by Brad’s sharp intake of breath. Then the vampire stepped out of the shadows, revealing smooth dark skin covering a muscular frame, a slow smile playing around the edges of his mouth, and it instantly made sense. Ryan had seen Wayne around the base enough times to recognize him.

“No… you’re dead,” Brad stammered.

“And I was reborn,” Wayne smirked, running his tongue slowly across the point of one glistening fang as he continued his approach.

“No, no,” Brad repeated, his whole face clouding with denial, confusion, guilt. “I checked. I watched them bury you.”

Wayne stopped a hairs breadth from Brad’s face. “But you weren’t there when it counted, were you?” He was still wearing the same sick smile, clearly enjoying playing with Brad’s emotions, twisting the knife a little further for kicks. “You let them do this to me.”

“No!“

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Chip blurted out suddenly, his blue eyes darkening in anger. “You let them into the base. You killed—“

“No, it couldn’t have been,” Ryan said, because he’d been analyzing that possibility from the moment Wayne had appeared and it didn’t add  
up. “Apart from the fact that he wouldn’t have known the password, Bob always wanted visual identification—in fact he insisted on it. There’s no way he would have opened the door to someone he knew was dead.”

“Who then?” Chip pressed.

Wayne watched the exchange with a mildly entertained expression but his gaze was repeatedly drawn down to a cut on Chip’s neck that was slowly seeping blood. Brad shifted marginally closer to Chip, his eyes never leaving Wayne’s face.

“I don’t know,” Ryan said. “But it had to be someone on the inside, someone above suspicion, like—“ He stopped, eyes widening as everything in his mind coalesced to form one inevitable and horrifying conclusion.

“What?” Chip demanded, breaking into his racing thoughts. Wayne was momentarily forgotten as both he and Brad stared at Ryan. “Who was it?”

“And I thought you’d never figure it out.” A sixth person slid out of the shadows behind Wayne. “My, my, Ryan, you’re not quite as stupid as I was led to believe.”

“Marcus?” Chip gaped.

“You son of a bitch,” Ryan snarled, fighting the hands that held him. “What have you done with Colin?”

“Ah yes. Colin.” Marcus let out a sigh but Ryan could detect little if any contrition in his expression. “A real shame it came to this but he was so determined to do the right thing at all costs. He always was too noble for his own good.”

Brad kicked out but he wasn’t anywhere near close enough to do any harm. “Where is he?”

Marcus just smiled and started to walk away. “Let’s just say he’s been put to a better use.”

Swiping his finger over Chip’s neck wound, Wayne collected a small drop of blood on the tip. He licked it clean with relish. “And you will be snacks to enjoy after the show.”

 

They were roughly pushed into another tunnel by their vampire handlers. Although he couldn’t be sure of their exact location in reference to the ground above, Ryan could guess from the direction they’d taken that they were now somewhere near the far edge of the graveyard. At the other end of the tunnel the light glowed more brightly, but there were also intermittent flashes like lightning and the deep echo of a language Ryan didn’t understand; the ritual. The chamber they came upon was by far the largest they’d seen, lit by dozens of flickering candles surrounding a central circle—a circle in which a figure stood bound and bleeding. Ryan couldn’t look away, the pain welling within him encasing his heart and lungs so that his breathing stuttered.

Colin looked lifeless. His head was bowed, body slack against the ropes that held him, while steady streams of blood trickled from various wounds on his bare chest and arms to fill the strange symbols upon the floor at his feet.

They were too late.


	39. Chapter 39

Ryan barely heard the order to kneel before the Baron, his legs kicked out from under him the next moment. His knees hit the stone, hard, but the pain was nothing to what he was already feeling. He didn’t care what they did to him. Not now.

Standing in front of Colin within the circle, the Baron finished the incantation and withdrew a silver dagger from the folds of his cloak to carve another symbol onto the floor. Marcus waited until he’d finished and then stepped forward to murmur in his ear. The Baron’s expression transformed with a savage pleasure as he turned to behold the captives. Ryan saw that there was an old book with yellowed pages in his other hand— _the_ book.

“Welcome! You’re just in time to see the finale.”

“Fuck you,” Brad spat venomously, receiving a swift kick in the back for his insolence.

Across the room Colin’s body suddenly jerked at the sound of Brad’s voice, making Ryan inhale sharply.

_He was still alive._

Slowly and with a great deal of effort Colin raised his head. But Ryan’s relief was fleeting, utterly erased by the anguish that swelled and merged with the pain in those dull eyes when they met his. Ryan was filled instead with an unbearably heavy, suffocating guilt; Colin had believed them to be safe and they had taken away his last small ounce of solace in the face of death. They had failed him.

“So very uncouth,” the Baron sighed, tutting slowly and loudly. He passed the book to Marcus and turned his attention back to Colin, dagger still in hand. “You see how this must be now,” he said, placing the tip under Colin’s chin to hold his head in place. “Your friends cannot save you, and soon your life’s work will prove meaningless.”

Colin was in a bad way. The parts of his skin not covered in blood were deathly pale and soaked in sweat. He opened his mouth, dragging in a breath to utter a single word. “Why?”

The Baron seemed momentarily confused until it became apparent that Colin’s gaze was fixed, not on him but on Marcus.

Colin continued, and it was clear that every word and every breath was a battle. “Why betray everything you stood for… everyone you swore to protect? You can still make this… right, Marc.”

Marcus shook his head slowly. “You’re a fool to continue protecting them, Colin. What do we get in return? Nothing! The only things humans care about is money and power and they’ll stamp on anyone to get it, including us. Is that what we’re fighting for?” He moved towards Colin, still grasping the book, and his expression suddenly held wild conviction. “You and I, we’re better than them. We should be _kings_. The Baron taught me that; showed me the truth. And once this incursion has cleansed the Earth, I _will_ be.”

He seemed to calm with his next breath, stretching out his fingers to touch Colin’s cheek. When Colin turned his face away in response, Marcus dropped his hand to his side and straightened. His expression had turned hard once more. “This was your choice.”

“No,” Colin replied. The word was spoken softly but the cavernous room carried his voice to everyone present. He lifted his head to look Marcus straight in the eye. “This was my duty.”

“And your duty must be completed,” the Baron said, sending Marcus back to his place with a wave of his hand as he brandished the dagger once more. Colin closed his eyes, readying himself.

Across the room, Ryan could hardly bear to watch. Every muscle in his body was taut, coiled like a tightly wound spring, as the tip of the blade was slowly trailed down the pale column of Colin’s throat. Just one slash and it was all over. But it seemed the end hadn’t come quite yet. Upon reaching the collar bone, the Baron weaved along it and down the left side of Colin’s chest, through earlier trails of blood. Then, with one swift motion, the dagger slid home and the tense silence was broken by Colin’s ragged cry of pain.

Ryan was off his knees in an instant, a raging tower of fury but he was almost immediately brought down again and struck hard in the stomach for his trouble. Hunched over in pain, and momentarily winded, he saw Chip and Brad similarly taken down next to him.

By the time he’d recovered enough to straighten up, the Baron had removed the dagger from Colin’s side and stepped back. Colin was slumped, chest heaving as blood poured from the wound; not enough to kill him quickly—the Baron had purposefully avoided any arteries—but enough to rapidly drain any remaining reserves of strength. The Baron raised the dagger again, making Ryan’s heart jolt in fear, but this time it was to run the bloodstained blade along his tongue. He closed his eyes, clearly savoring the taste, making bile rise in Ryan’s throat at the sight.

“Delicious. It’s a pity that all of your blood is needed for the ritual,” he said, holding his hand out for the book. “I would have taken great pleasure in draining you personally.”

Ryan noticed that Marcus kept his gaze down as he handed it over and was filled with contempt at his cowardice. He wanted to go over there and force Marcus to look at Colin—to watch every single last moment of the life he was responsible for extinguishing.

As the Baron read from the book and the new symbols filled with fresh blood, the ground trembled beneath their feet and the flashes began again. They were centered to the right of the circle, emanating from a point at about chest-height that crackled with some unseen force.

This was the portal that would open all others and keep them open. It was the beginning of the end.

The strange dark language streaming from the Baron’s lips was joined by a chorus of demonic cries that filtered through the portal, becoming louder and clearer with every moment. It sent a chill of dread down Ryan’s spine. Even the vampires surrounding him shifted restlessly as they watched.

Then the Baron raised the knife again, this time pointing the tip directly at Colin’s heart as he continued his steady recitation. Ryan’s gaze shot down to his watch and back to Colin again, panic beginning to overwhelm his senses. It was too early, only 11:30. They needed more time. Even a nuclear missile wouldn’t be able to stop this if it arrived too late.

The book was almost finished. The ritual was drawing to an end. Ryan looked desperately around the chamber, his mind racing to find something—anything—that could stop it. But there was nothing. His gaze returned briefly to Colin and he wanted to cry out at the calm acceptance he saw in his expression. It couldn’t end like this. Again he tried to fight off the hands holding him but it was in vain; their vice-like grip remained, keeping his knees rooted to the cold floor.

Realizing that the Baron’s words were slowing, Ryan’s head snapped towards the center of the room where the dagger was poised. Then suddenly Colin opened his eyes and dragged his head up fully to meet Ryan’s gaze, and Ryan knew with desperate certainty that this was his goodbye.

Everything Ryan wanted to tell him got tangled and caught in his constricting throat, leaving nothing for his lips but the silent shape of the three words he would say for both the first and the last time.

_I love you._

Colin couldn’t speak but his hazel eyes conveyed every word that Ryan needed to hear before they finally slipped closed again.

Ryan renewed his struggle, fighting with everything left in him, because he couldn’t just stand by and watch this happen. Neither could Brad or Chip who were fighting equally hard. So hard that as Brad roared and twisted his body in an attempt to weaken the grip of the vampires holding him, something fell out of his pocket onto the floor, the metal clang as it hit the floor masked by the continuing cries from the portal. It was his flask. The vampires had taken every weapon from them but the flask had remained.

In a split second Ryan snatched it off the floor and opened the lid, flinging the precious contents over the faces of their guards. The vampires screeched and howled, withdrawing in pain as the holy water burned their flesh and, finally free, Ryan surged up and forwards towards the circle. The Baron, who had momentarily faltered at the uproar, spoke the last few words and quickly raised the dagger. Seconds away, Ryan threw his body forward and caught the Baron’s arm at the last moment, barreling into him with every ounce of strength he possessed. He had no weapon, nothing to defend himself with but his own fury and he used it to the full, punching every part he could reach as the Baron screeched and hissed his displeasure.

Ryan caught sight of the dagger a few feet to his right and went for it, determined to end the Baron there and then. But just as his fingers touched the hilt, the dagger was kicked away by a black boot. Ryan was Marcus’ next target, receiving a hefty kick to the ribs that threw him sideways. Scrambling to his feet he tackled Marcus around the middle, and as he did he could hear a swell of noise as more vampires flocked to their master—no match for three unarmed Angels no matter how desperately they fought. But fight they would.

Marcus’ slayer strength beat down Ryan’s rage. He was thrown clear across the circle and felt his shoulder dislocate again with the force of his impact. Gritting his teeth against the blinding pain, he shoved it as hard as he could against the floor and it popped in again. Breathing hard, he caught the glint of the dagger nearby and dragged himself towards it. It was wet and slippery, lying in a tepid pool of Colin’s blood, which covered Ryan’s trembling hands as he grasped it. Above him Colin’s body hung limply. Ryan didn’t look up. He couldn’t afford to think about that now.

“You can’t win this, Ryan,” Marcus called, purposefully twisting Ryan’s injured arm as he hauled him upright and relishing the scream of pain it induced. Ryan swung the dagger but Marcus deftly dodged it and disarmed him.

Sneering, the Baron took it back and Ryan could do nothing but watch as he raised the dagger to finally claim his victory.


	40. Chapter 40

Ryan heard the gunshot at the same time as the Baron staggered suddenly sideways, the dagger tumbling from his grasp. As Ryan’s head whipped around towards the chamber entrance Greg fired again, this time hitting the startled Baron right in the center of his chest as reinforcements streamed into the chamber from behind him. The Baron was already turning to dust as his knees hit the floor, surprise etched upon his face before it, too, crumbled.

Marcus roared, wrenching Ryan around to stand in front of him like a shield. The spike of pain from Ryan’s injured arm caused the room to blur and spin but with great effort he kept the darkness at bay. He wouldn’t be any good to Colin unconscious.

“Just shoot,” he shouted as loud as he could, sensing Greg’s hesitation. Marcus’ other hand immediately went to his throat and squeezed, and the darkness faded back in. This, more than anything, caused Ryan’s fighting instinct to kick in. With a surge of adrenaline, he thrust his good arm backwards and his elbow connected with Marcus’ stomach with enough force to weaken his grip. Ryan was able to wrench himself free and spin around, his hand closing around Marcus’ throat instead.

He was playing for time only. Even if he had renounced his vocation, Marcus still had the strength of a slayer and sooner or later it would win out. Sooner, it turned out, as Marcus tore Ryan’s hand away and punched him hard enough to make him see stars. Then the hands were back at his throat again, forcing him to his knees, and he didn’t have anything left to fight with.

Around them the sounds of similarly deadly battles echoed throughout the cavernous space, fading in and out with Ryan’s consciousness like a badly tuned TV set. In his peripheral vision he caught sight of Greg fighting to get to him through half a dozen vampires eager to avenge their master. He wouldn’t make it. Marcus’ face was set in steely determination, his eyes sparking with a mad gleam that could not be reasoned with. The last image Ryan would ever see.

Abruptly Marcus lurched sideways, crumpling under some unseen force. Gasping in air, Ryan was looking around for Greg until he saw that Colin had managed to work one of his arms free, allowing him to deliver one final blow. It had taken everything left in him but he’d given Ryan the chance he needed.

Ryan lunged for the dagger on the ground and pointed it at Marcus before he could launch another attack. Marcus straightened, grinning at him maniacally.

“Go on then, kill me. Do it! Then the ritual is complete.”

“I’m not going to kill you,” Ryan panted, his lungs straining with the force. “I’m going to make you pay for each and every life you’ve allowed to be destroyed. These humans you despise? They’re going to lock you up somewhere you’ll never see daylight again.”

Ryan had barely spoken the last word when Marcus set upon him, allowing the dagger to drive into his flesh. It wasn’t the deep wound he’d intended, though, for Ryan had been prepared enough to instantly move his hand, cutting a long strip into Marcus’ side instead. Only then did it occur to Ryan that he had nothing left to defend himself with and he was helpless as Marcus drove his fist into his left temple, unleashing a white-hot pain that made his vision swim again.

Fighting for possession of the dagger they stumbled towards the flashing light of the portal and, as they reached it, Marcus finally tore the dagger from his grasp. Before he could use it, Ryan brought his knee up swiftly and at the same time shoved him away with as much strength as he could muster. Winded, Marcus stumbled backwards but as he raised the dagger again it caught the edge of the portal.

Almost in slow motion, it was pulled into the light, followed by Marcus’ hand and then his arm. Ignoring the part of himself that wanted to leave him there, Ryan attempted to grab hold of Marcus to pull him back but he was kicked away with a savage, “No! This is how it ends.”

The light around Marcus crackled and flared, like a short-circuit in an electrical panel disrupting the flow, gaining in intensity as slowly but surely he surrendered the rest of himself to it and the unearthly voices within. Within seconds the final part of his body was swallowed up. It triggered a blinding flash and a roar of sound, and the portal suddenly collapsed into itself.

Nothing was left behind. Not a trace.

 

Ryan spun around and covered the ground to Colin in three strides, Brad getting there at the same time. Colin didn’t move or react to either of them. Supporting his weight, Ryan tugged hard on the rope still attached to one arm but it held fast.

“I got it,” Brad said, immediately stepping forward and removing a knife from his pocket—the knife that had been taken from him. Seeing Ryan’s look, he said with a fleeting trace of a smirk, “Don’t worry, I asked nicely.”

He cut through the remaining rope easily and, like a lifeless marionette, Colin fell into Ryan’s waiting arms. Holding onto him, Ryan carefully sank to the ground.

“Is he…?” Brad let the question hang like a waiting guillotine.

Almost too afraid of the answer, Ryan cradled Colin against him and pressed two fingers to his neck. For a long moment he felt nothing but then, shifting position ever so slightly, he felt the butterfly hum of a pulse against his pads—weak, but definitely there. A little piece of hope to cling onto.

“He’s still alive,” he breathed.

“He won’t be for long if we don’t stop this bleeding,” Brad said, dropping down to look over Colin’s multiple wounds. He took off his jacket and then his shirt, balling the latter up to place it over the last and deepest laceration to Colin’s side. “Here, hold this. I’ll get help.”

Ryan applied steady pressure to the wound, knowing it would hurt like hell, but Colin didn’t so much as moan in response. His face, so very pale against the deep blue of Ryan’s shirt, was covered with a fine sheen of perspiration and there was a grayish tinge creeping into his lips.

The madness carried on around them—shouts, gunshots, screeches, Brad calling for a medic, someone else shouting into the radio for the bomb to be disarmed, repeating the message over and over again. Still Ryan’s gaze didn’t shift from Colin’s face. If this was it, he was dying holding the man he loved and that was all that mattered.

Ryan’s watch was flashing 11:41.

Four minutes.

The seconds kept ticking inexorably by.

Three minutes.

Two.

One minute.

Ryan pressed a kiss to Colin’s forehead, tilting his own head sideways so that his cheek rested against the cool and clammy skin. “We did it, Col,” he murmured, tightening his hold as his watch flashed 11:45. “We won.”

With the remaining vampires vanquished or scattered in defeat, a tense hush fell over the room. Only one voice broke it to continue urgently repeating his message and requesting a response. Maybe there was no one left in Cedarcrest _to_ respond.

Another minute passed, and then another, and gradually everyone started to breathe again, tentatively at first, daring to hope. Then the message came through.

The countdown had been aborted. Back-up was on its way.

Through the cheers that followed, cheers that Ryan did not join in with, Brad’s voice could be heard loud and clear into the radio—instructing them to send an emergency medical team for Colin. It had an instant effect, dousing the wildfire of elation and relief with cold hard reality.

A whispered, “Fuck,” heralded Greg’s arrival next to Ryan, Chip with him. “I should have got here earlier, man.”

Ryan shook his head. “No, you saved his life, Greg. And mine. We just… we need those medics here. Now.”

Chip, seemingly lost for words up until that point, suddenly straightened. “I’ll go and meet them—it’ll be quicker if I show them the way.”

“Good idea,” Greg said and, as if waiting for his endorsement, Chip sprang into immediate action.

In the wake of his departure Greg crouched down on the other side of Colin, eyes roving over every one of Colin’s injuries with a sympathetic wince. “Here, I’ll do that,” he said, pressing his hand over Brad’s shirt to take over from Ryan, a large part of which was already soaked through.

His back, neck and arm sore from being forced to stay in an awkward position, Ryan was grateful for the reprieve and showed it. It also meant he could support Colin’s head more comfortably, for both of them. Running his thumb gently over Colin’s cheek, Ryan glanced up to find Greg watching him with an expression of warm approval. He resisted the urge to duck his head again.

“Is Jeff okay?”

“He’s torn his stitches back open and lost a fair amount of blood, but they said he’ll be fine. Just like Colin will be,” Greg added firmly, looking back down at Colin’s pale face. “You hear me, Col? You even think about quitting and I’ll kick your ass.”

Ryan smiled despite himself. In that moment, for the first time, it felt like everything might actually be alright.

 

When the medical team arrived Ryan reluctantly took a step back to allow them to work, taking a proper look around for the first time since the fighting had started. Despite the all-clear having been given, the cavern was still packed with people, all standing and watching the small huddle in the center; a throng of silent support. Ryan was willing to be that not one Angel had left, save Chip.

Ryan’s gaze didn’t linger for long, returning to Colin and the bustle of activity around him. After a few minutes of emergency stabilization and clipped orders, the team transferred Colin onto an army stretcher and stood. Ryan stayed as close as he was able to as they carried him out, the crowd parting before them. He felt Greg fall into step close behind and knew that Chip and Brad were with him.

A helicopter was waiting for them outside, as was a heavy army contingent and—“Drew!”

“If you’re here to fire us, man…” Greg began.

“I’m not,” Drew rushed to assure him as the stretcher was loaded on and the rotor blades started to whir in preparation. “I wanted to be here. The suits didn’t like it but tough shit.”

“Sticking it to the man, I’m impressed.”

A soldier who looked barely old enough to hold a gun blocked Ryan from following the medics, placing a hand on his shoulder to force him back. Ryan shook it off roughly, his eyes still fixed on Colin.

“Wait, this man’s going with him,” Drew called to the soldier, having to raise his voice over the growing noise of the rotors. To say Ryan was surprised at his intervention would be an understatement—he wouldn’t have been more surprised if the man had suddenly sprouted horns.

“Sir, that’s against regula—“

“Let him on the damn chopper,” Drew ordered in a tone that brokered no argument.

Looking suitably chastised, the soldier closed his mouth and stepped aside. Ryan clasped Drew’s hand with a fervent thank you before climbing aboard. He settled himself next to Colin, out of the way of the medics who were continuing to work on him but close enough to be within reach.

Under the brighter light Colin looked, if possible, even worse—the light leaching all of the color from his skin. When the medics turned to talk to the pilot, Ryan took the opportunity to slide Colin’s hands between his with a whispered, “I’m here, Col.” And for just a fraction of a second, he thought he felt the slightest pressure on his hand in return.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we come to the end of the road, and my longest story to date. Thank you to everyone who has followed and supported this story to the very end. I hope you've enjoyed it.

Men in suits arrived at the base five days later—the kind who wore dark glasses and serious expressions, and who always remained nameless. They took possession of the book, verifying its authenticity before securing it inside a heavy-looking case protected by multiple locks and devices.

Colin watched from a window above as the case was closed and sealed. It would be on a plane within an hour, to some top secret location that no one was willing or able to divulge. Out of the hands of slayers forever.

A pair of arms slipped around Colin’s waist from behind. It was not unexpected since he had heard the door quietly open and close and knew perfectly well who it would be.

“Hey,” Ryan murmured against his temple, “you okay?”

Colin leant back against Ryan’s broad chest, feeling the warmth seep through. “Yeah. I thought at least one of us should be here to see it go.”

In truth it would never feel right to relinquish control of that which he’d vowed always to protect, but Colin knew that recent events left him no say in the matter. The order had come directly from the president. No such thing could ever be allowed to happen again.

Ryan seemed to sense the progression of his thoughts. “None of this was your fault, Col.”

“I know. It’s just…”

“Marcus,” Ryan finished, hitting the nail on the head again.

Colin nodded. “He used to be good man. Before.” He let out a soft sigh. “Being a slayer demands so much from us, Ry—nothing less than our lives. And, for all the support we have from governments across the globe, it’s a road we ultimately have to walk alone. I guess somewhere along the way Marcus lost his faith in this world and everyone in it. Little by little, the vocation he was called to tore him down and destroyed the good man I knew. And who’s to say that couldn’t happen to any one of us?”

Ryan shook his head. “Marcus lost himself because he didn’t let anyone else in. You said it yourself, Col. He wouldn’t let anyone get close enough to love him; he made it all about the job and then ended up blaming it for leaving him with nothing. But you,” He pressed his lips again to Colin’s head, “you’re not alone and you never will be.”

Colin smiled, lacing his fingers through Ryan’s. Looking down at them took him back to five days before, when he’d briefly regained consciousness in the helicopter. Through the tumult of noise and confusion the first thing he’d become aware of was Ryan’s hand wrapped tightly around his. It was something Marcus had never had, something he’d always dismissed as weakness when in fact it was strength. When Colin had woken up almost a day later, the doctors had told him that by all odds he shouldn’t have survived. He knew that the reason he did was standing right beside him.

Pressing a kiss to Ryan’s palm, Colin turned and pressed another to his lips. “I love you.”

Ryan’s smile lit his eyes as he captured Colin’s mouth in a searing kiss that put the last to shame, returning the sentiment without any need for words.

 

All in all about a quarter of Cedarcrest had been lost to fires and demonic wrath that Halloween, and many lives had been taken. Too many. As the sun had risen on November 1st, its rays smothered by the cloak of dense smoke lingering over the town, everyone left had counted the cost. It seemed that the implosion of the main portal had had a domino effect, spreading outwards from the center to close each of them one by one. Most of the demons had been taken with them and the few remaining were disposed of without too much trouble, by Angels and soldiers alike. What they left behind, however—wounds both physical and emotional—was not so easily remedied. The town lay empty and the morgue full. It was hard to view it as a victory.

But like a phoenix, the town and its people arose from the ashes, fundamentally changed yet undefeated.

 

In some ways it was a familiar scene in the Alpha room at the end of a patrol, everyone sitting around talking, sometimes laughing. It was almost like before… almost. The difference lay in Brad’s easygoing camaraderie with Ryan, in Greg’s hand curling around Jeff’s neck, Jeff pressed against his side, in Ryan sitting with one long leg either side of Colin while gently massaging his shoulders.

They had come a long way in a short space of time. The knowledge of Wayne’s fate and his subsequent demise in the battle had drawn an irrevocable line under the matter, especially for Brad, and through adversity and loss Alpha Team was now stronger than ever.

Colin leaned into Ryan’s touch and let his contentment wash over him like a warm wave upon a white sandy beach. Half-listening to the conversation, he held out a hand for Ratu to clamber onto. Nos was sitting and washing himself on the nightly report that Colin had just completed. It had only taken a couple of sentences.

In the echo of renewed laughter, Drew strolled into the room. He too seemed like a different man in the wake of the previous month’s events, his every step that much lighter.

“Everything’s okay then, I take it?” he asked.

“Everything’s fine,” Colin smiled, displacing a disgruntled Nos to hand Drew the report.

“Yeah, the town’s as quiet as a mouse,” Brad said, stretching.

“Shouldn’t that be rat?” Jeff smirked as Nos ran across the table towards him, making Brad flinch and everyone else snicker.

“Well, the rebuild’s going quicker than expected so more residents will be moving back soon,” Drew informed them, casting an eye over the report.

“Hopefully not the pointy-fanged kind.”

Greg turned his head to level a stare of utmost incredulity at Brad. “The pointy-fanged kind? Okay, someone needs to give junior here his glass of milk and tuck him into bed.”

“Hey!”

“Okay, guys,” Colin laughed, “You should all go and get some sleep. Go on.”

With a good deal of noise and scraping of chairs they did as they were told. Drew followed them out with a hearty, “Have a good night.”

“Day,” Brad corrected as the door closed.

“Whatever.”

Chuckling, Ryan slid out from behind Colin and stood, offering his hand. “Home?”

Colin grasped it, smiling warmly. “Home.”

 

End.


End file.
